Birthday Wish
by SaltyJak
Summary: Making nice with your nemesis is never easy, but a certain red-head's birthday being forgotten gives Timmy the perfect plan to become friends with his babysitter. Now he just needed to get everything together and make sure it stayed a surprise...
1. Hatching a Plan

A/N: Well, my muse ran off to find my sister's after she lost track of hers, and now they're both gone, so I assume they're off gallivanting somewhere, swapping war stories, talking about how overworked they are... Anyway, the show must go on without her, so here goes!

* * *

At eight years old, Timmy Turner called the babysitting service of a one Vicki Valentine, because he was, in essence, tricked into doing so by his parents. That day marked the beginning of what would feel like a lifetime of torture; though one should note that two years probably does _feel_ like a lifetime to a ten year old. Of course, during the tenth year of his life, the brunet had managed to save the outwardly heartless red-head more times than he could count, and likely more times than said red-head was willing to admit.

This lack of admission meant that the animosity between them would neither grow, nor would it shrink; not at first anyway. It wasn't until the brunet found himself in his twelfth year that he would notice a marked change in her behavior, likely because she normally went out of her way to show that there wasn't a nice girl beneath that angry, hateful, unpleasant shell that she wore. It wasn't sudden(in fact, it was extremely gradual), but spend enough time around a person, and you tend to notice little changes in their personality. It was those very little things that he took notice of though. Vicki would show up some mornings and give him(and Tootie) a ride to school, or she'd give him an actual scrub brush(rather than his toothbrush) to clean the bathroom floor... she even bought him a new toothbrush! And that was only if she even made him do his chores in the first place. Sometimes she'd let him watch TV while she just relaxed on the couch... Her behavior was definitely odd... But why question a good thing, right?

This continued for two more years, and Timmy now found himself at the hormonally imbalanced age of fourteen, though it was going surprisingly well. No awkward crushes, no thoughts of his fellow female classmates and their various developing areas, and not even any annoying acne to ruin a school picture... Yep, things were going fairly well for Timmy...

_SLAM_

Well, almost.

Timmy sat in his room and listened for more noise, though he had a sneaking suspicion about who it was that slammed his front door.

"Vicki? What's wrong?"

"_Okay... Mom's still here?"_ this little revelation surprised him, his parents were usually gone by ten in the morning...

"Sorry about the door Mrs. Turner... My day's been off to a rough start..."

"_And that's Vicki... Wonder what's wrong?"_ It didn't take the red-head confirming that her day wasn't going well for Timmy to know something was up. The fact that she was talking to his mother without putting up that sugary facade of hers was evidence enough.

"Oh? Wanna talk about it?" His mother sounded oddly genuine, considering that if Timmy was in Vicki's shoes, his mother would've already left him with his babysitter.

"Well I-"

"Ohp! Sorry! I just remembered my husband and I have to get going! Busy work schedules and all that! Gotta go! We'll see you tonight, since I assume you'll be staying here! Tell Timmy we love him, and have fun you two!"

With that, Timmy heard hurried footsteps leading over to his front door, then said door opening and closing. _"Hm. And here I thought they'd actually listen to her and what she had to say..."_

"You're not just gonna leave it at that, right Sport?"

Timmy looked to his right from his position near his bedroom door to see Wanda(still in goldfish form) balancing somewhat precariously on the rim of the fishbowl. "Leave it at what?"

"Well... You and Vicki aren't exactly enemies anymore..."

"Your point being?" he didn't need to ask that question. The brunet was smart enough to know what Wanda was hinting at.

"Why don't you go down there and talk to her? It sounds like Vicki could use a friend right now, something's definitely eating at her."

"And this is all under the assumption that Vicki actually _wants_ a friend in the first place. Me and her are... okay. That's probably the best way to put it right now. What if poking and prodding at her just makes her angry at me?"

"Timmy, try to remember that Vicki didn't have the easiest life growing up. And there's the fact that _you_ once made her miserable enough for her to get fairy godparents." Wanda looked at him sternly(or as sternly as a goldfish can look at someone).

"I know..." Timmy looked away ashamedly and scratched the back of his head. He had made a lot of mistakes growing up, many of which were revenge plots to get back at Vicki. None of which he was particularly proud of. He could acknowledge that he made them... He just didn't like being reminded of them. "Wanda... I don't need your help to feel bad..."

"Sweetie, I wasn't- I didn't mean that you were to blame for Vicki getting us as her fairy godparents... You becoming her babysitter was... More like the straw that broke the camel's back, rather than the main cause. Just like we were granted to you when Vicki became your babysitter, you were both on the cusp of getting fairies at that age, but getting a mean babysitter was the..." Wanda waved her fin around, evidently trying to think of the right word.

"Catalyst?" Cosmo jumped onto the rim next to Wanda.

"Yes, exactly!" Wanda exclaimed. "Evil babysitters are the catalyst to receive fairy godparents in this universe!"

"_This _universe? What does that mean?"

"It means you should go ask Vicki what's wrong. Scoot!" Wanda waved her wand and poofed Timmy from a 'I just woke up and need a shower' state, to a 'showered, changed, and ready to ask my babysitter what's wrong' state.

"But what if she kills me?!"

"She won't... If she does though, I give you permission to haunt me."

"Silver linings..." Timmy muttered as he went out into the hallway and descended the stairs into the living room. As expected, Vicki was sitting on the couch and had clearly heard him coming down, seeing as how she didn't look even remotely upset now.

"Timmy." she spoke without taking her attention off the TV screen.

"_Another slip up." _"So, what's wrong?" the brunet moved to sit in the recliner next to the couch, knowing that sitting next to Vicki would put him within smacking distance, even if it _was_ playful...

"Hm? Why do you assume something's wrong? I'm perfectly fine."

"Oh... Maybe because you called me Timmy? You've _never_ called me Timmy. I'm the Twerp, remember?" he smirked as her expression went from cool and collected to surprised, then melancholy.

"Can't fool you... I'm fine, just- Just go play video games or something, don't worry yourself over someone like me..."

"Hm." Timmy stood up from the recliner and walked over to Vicki so that he stood in front of her, blocking her view of the TV.

"Hey! C'mon, move. I leave you alone when you're depressed, so leave me alone... N-not that I'm depressed! I just wanna be left alone right now! ...Stop giving me that judgmental look! I'm fine, really! Just-! Fine! Sit down!" the red-head reached out and yanked Timmy down onto the couch next to her. "Twisting my arm so I talk... you're such a dick..."

Timmy, meanwhile, was doing his best to keep from laughing at his babysitter. She had spoken volumes about her current state of mind without him really prodding her at all. The girl had had a conversation with him without him saying a word in response! Clearly there was something not only bugging her, but it was nagging at her to get out, and she reached out to him; the boy that was practically her nemesis, without even giving him the option to decline.

Not that he would've.

"So...?" Timmy poked at her shoulder, eliciting a glare from the girl.

"Grr... So you know how I'm... not exactly the nicest person?"

"Wha? You? No way..." the brunet's voice dripped with obvious sarcasm.

"_Anyway_... As you probably know, I haven't been... the best daughter to my parents. Nor have I been the best sister to Tootie. And I've been trying to be... but it's hard. I don't give two shits about what other people think of me, but I want my family to..." Vicki sighed and put her face in her hands. "I don't want them to hate me..."

"Well... Tootie doesn't hate you..." Unfortunately, Timmy had only met Vicki and Tootie's parents once or twice, and in that time, he could confirm that they were quite terrified of their eldest daughter.

"Oh really? So she must've simply _forgotten_ that today is my birthday, right? Totally not some other hatred-of-Vicki-related reason?"

So now it made sense. The foul(well, more foul than usual) mood, wanting to talk to Timmy's mom... or probably just someone who would listen... He could understand that. "Um... Don't hit me, but _I_ didn't even know it was your birthday..."

"Of course you didn't! You're not related to me, and I've never told you anyway! I didn't expect our mom and dad to do anything for me. After all, I haven't had a birthday party in years, but Tootie's always said 'Happy Birthday' and gotten me _something_... But not this year... I've tried, like honestly tried being nicer to them, but... I'm so used to being mean... I guess it's not as easy as I hoped it would be... Just go away..."

Timmy knew better than to think Vicki would cry, but he hoped he'd get a bit more out of her than he did. _"Then again, this is Vicki I'm talking about... I should be happy that she felt like telling me anything at all..."_ the brunet stood up from the couch and made his way over to the stairs-

"Timmy?"

He stopped and turned to look at her. "Yeah?"

"Thanks for... y'know." she didn't quite smile at him, but for once, she didn't look at him with disdain, hatred, or even mild dislike. Her face didn't really betray any particular emotion, but she didn't look as depressed as when he had started talking to her, so there was that.

"We're not ah... Gonna have another heart to heart like this for a long time, are we?"

"I wouldn't count on it." she chuckled.

"Well... at the risk of sounding a little corny... Happy Birthday, Vicki."

Her eyes widened, though only slightly. "...Thanks Timmy."

Timmy nodded and made his way back up to his room, then shut the door as he entered.

"So...?" Wanda poofed into existence in front of him, now in her pink-haired fairy form.

"We talked. About stuff... And..."

"And?" Wanda had a feeling she knew what was coming next.

"Well... Vicki's sad that her family didn't throw her a birthday party." Timmy shrugged.

"So you're gonna throw her a party instead?!" Cosmo appeared and exclaimed excitedly, eliciting surprised looks from his wife and godchild.

It only took a second for Timmy to recover from his shock and smirk at his fairy godfather. "And people say you're dumb... Now, where to start... Oh! I wish I was in Tootie's room!"

"O...kay?" That, however, was _not_ what she expected Timmy to do. Her wand sparkled, and she transformed herself into Timmy's hat, and Cosmo into a backpack as Timmy disappeared in a puff of purplish smoke.

Half a second later, Timmy found himself outside Tootie's bedroom door, which burst open upon his magical arrival. "Hey Toot-" He stopped upon seeing Tootie standing just outside her closet, a veritable treasure trove from the Timmy Turner gift shop that said brunet didn't know existed in her hands, being held over a trash can.

Of course, upon hearing her ex-crush's voice and her bedroom door suddenly opening, the raven-haired girl turned around to look at Timmy, dropping all her Timmy memorabilia into the trash, and shooting him a _very_ surprised look.

"So I can uh... Come back later if I'm interrupting..." the brunet looked into the closet to see a fair amount of his personal items still sitting inside in some sort of mock-shrine. "Or... y'know... never again."

"No! Nonononono! I was just throwing all this stuff away! Really! My crush on you is gone. Finished. Bye-bye! I swear!" as she finished, the shelves of the closet collapsed, covering her in clothes, clothes hangers, and, of course, her Timmy memorabilia.

"I'd leave right now if I didn't need your help." Timmy spoke through a facepalm as he stepped over to his buried friend and jammed his hand into the pile of clothes, then yanked her out of it.

"You need my help?!" the pile of clothes she was now half-buried under practically exploded out from around Tootie as she bounced up and down excitedly. "I can help! I _love_ helping! I love y- So whaddya need?" Tootie interrupted herself and calmed down.

"You know it's Vicki's birthday, right?" Timmy crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at his friend. Mostly because he was disappointed that she'd be mad enough at her sister to not at least tell her 'Happy Birthday'.

"What? How do you... Wait. Today? Vicki's birthday is..." Timmy watched as Tootie took out her phone, presumably to look at her calender. "Oh no. Son of a... I'm-I'm the worst little sister ever!"

"_Well, I wouldn't say 'ever' but-"_ Timmy watched Tootie dart past him and out into the hallway, then down it before stopping in front of what he assumed to be Vicki's door.

"Vicki?" Tootie began frantically rapping on the door. "Vicki? Open up!"

"So did you _not_ hear any fighting earlier today?" Timmy followed Tootie out of her room and stopped next to her.

"Vicki? I'm sorry! C'mon, open up!" again, Tootie knocked on her sister's bedroom door.

"I mean, until today, _I_ had no idea Vicki's birthday was on the thirteenth..."

"Vicki?! Jeez, are you still sleeping or-"

"Vicki's at my house." Timmy at last spoke up, growing tired of watching Tootie bang on Vicki's door in vain.

"Huh?! She is? Then how did you get here without her noticing? We both know my sister wouldn't let you just leave, you're special to her-"

"Excuse me?" _"Special? Special how? She can't possibly mean that..."_ "Are you saying Vicki likes me?!" Timmy yelled, clearly horrified at the prospect of his _babysitter_ liking him.

"What?! Ew! No! You're special to her because your parents are one of her biggest-if not _the_ biggest-sources of income for her! You thought- Ugh! _So_ wrong! Unless... Do _you_ like her?!" Tootie responded with nearly as much disgust as Timmy had shown.

"No! She's like, six years older than me! And evil, in case you forgot. No, we're barely friends, I just came over here because she thought you hated her so much that you wouldn't even wish her well on her birthday!"

"How could she possibly do something so bad to make me feel that way?!"

"Oh, let's see... Because she's _Vicki_?" Timmy stated matter-of-factly.

"Okay, okay, fair enough. So what are we gonna do?" Tootie leaned up against Vicki's bedroom door and rubbed at her forehead.

"Well... I figure we... do our best to throw her a birthday party?"

"And _how_ exactly do you want us to do that? Need I remind you that Vicki has all of _zero_ friends, except you, apparently. And I seriously doubt that Chester or AJ are gonna come, even if you bribe them with an all-expense paid trip to Tibecuador. Why do you think _I've_ never thrown her a birthday party? Because the lack of party-goers is damn depressing! 'Sides, knowing Vicki, she wouldn't want a huge get-together anyway, let's just focus on the actual party and... I dunno... See if you can convince those two knuckleheads we call friends to show up..."

"And what are _you_ gonna do?" Timmy followed Tootie back into her room.

"_I _am going to get various party supplies out of my room, and from around our houses..."

"And dare I ask _why_ you have party supplies in your closet, and just lying around your house?"

"Because I'm crazy prepared. Look, if we're gonna do this, I need _you_ to get on the ball. Call Chester and AJ, get them to come to the party, and convince my sister to... go somewhere else. Go... to the mall with her! Yeah... That'll work..." Tootie rubbed her palms together, the stereotypical sign to indicate she had a plan going. "Oh! And I need your house key!"

"Have I ever mentioned that you're insane?"

"Not recently."

"You're insane. And you're not getting my house key. There's a spare under the welcome mat on my front porch, use that one..." Timmy trailed off upon realizing that he had just given Tootie the location of the key to get into his house. _Now_ she could come in uninvited whenever she wanted...

"Okay, cool..." Tootie began rummaging through her closet, then stopped suddenly and turned her attention back to Timmy. "Why are you still here?! Get going!"

"Ah... Right!" Timmy hurried out of Tootie's room, down the stairs, and out the front door. "I wish we were back in my room!" The brunet disappeared in a puff of smoke again, and reappeared back in his room. "Okay... First things first." Timmy took out his phone and began texting Chester.

_Wanna come to a party?_

Chester's response was swifter than even Timmy expected.

_Yeah! What's the occasion?_

"Eugh... Didn't think I'd get this far..." Timmy tried thinking up a good lie.

_No occasion. Just... a party. Interested?_

That was _not_ a good lie.

_I guess so. Don't have anything planned 2day. Inviting AJ?_

"Phew... Okay, Chester's on board..."

_Can U send him a text? Tell him... Tell him Trixie and Veronica are coming!_

"Right... just digging the lie-hole deeper now..."

_They R?! Sweet deal! When should we head over?_

"Let's see..." Timmy scratched his chin in thought. "Need to give Tootie enough time to get here... and text Trixie and Veronica..."

_Bout an hour and a half?_

"Hopefully that gives Tootie and them enough time to set everything up... Shoot! Need a cake..."

"Ahem?" Wanda poofed off Timmy's head and into her fairy form.

"Oh, right. I wish there was a birthday cake in the fridge for Vicki!"

As per the usual, his fairy godmother's wand sparkled and produced a poofing sound.

"Thanks!" Timmy smiled. He felt... actually pretty proud of himself. It felt good to be doing something nice for Vicki. And so far, everything was going pretty well!

"Ooh! Why don't you wish for a live performance by Chip Skylark?!" Cosmo, still in backpack form, exclaimed.

"Yeah... Let's not wish the guy that wrote a song titled 'Icky Vicki' here on Vicki's birthday... I want her to _enjoy_ her special day, not plot the murder of a celebrity. Timmy took out his phone as he received another text message.

_K c u then!_

"Okay... Chester and AJ are on board..." the brunet dialed Tootie's number.

"Yeah?" there was the distinct sound of items being thrown around a room as Tootie answered.

"Chester and AJ are coming-"

"Because you told them it was just a party, right? Didn't happen to mention it was _Vicki's_ party?"

"Like they would've come if I had! Anyway, I got them to come, just keep it a secret until we get back or... Or tie them up! You can handle that, right?"

"Not like I've never taken someone hostage before..."

"Great! Now I just need to call Trixie and Veronica, get them to show up, and-"

There was a loud sighing noise from Tootie's end.

"What?"

"Do you _have_ to invite them?" Tootie asked, clearly annoyed. "We only recently made peace with them, and it's still... I dunno, tentative?"

"It was the best idea I had to make sure Chester and AJ came! Look, I get that we're all still... Kind of holding grudges, but it's in the past, and it's for a good cause, so...?"

"...Fine. But you owe me big time for this! No telling Vicki I forgot her birthday, got it? And I'm gonna want... something else too! …Something I've yet to think of..."

"_Great, this can't_ possibly_ come back to bite me in the ass later..." _"Fair enough. Okay... Cake's already here, party supplies are in my room... Anything I should pick up while I'm out?"

"Um... No, that should be fine. Just make sure you keep Vicki preoccupied for a few hours, alright?"

"I'll do my best. Bye Tootie."

"Bye."

Timmy hung up and rolled his eyes. "I wish my room had a bunch of party supplies in it."

Again, Wanda waved her wand, and Timmy's room became nearly filled with party horns, balloons, streamers, and various other party-related items.

"Right. Thank you guys."

"Anytime Timmy!" Cosmo and Wanda exclaimed as Wanda poofed herself back into the form of Timmy's hat.

"Now for the fun part." Timmy walked over to his bed and reached under it, then pulled out a small metal box with a latch. Opening it revealed a small fortune in allowance money. "This is not the type of rainy day situation I had in mind..." he took out about half and put it in his wallet.

"You ever wonder why you're going out of your way to make your babysitter happy on her birthday?" Wanda asked as Timmy shoved his secret stash back under his bed.

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"I mean... We both know Vicki wouldn't go to these lengths for you, so... And I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but why do so much for her?"

"...I'm... not really sure. 'Cause it's the right thing to do? I know Vicki wouldn't do any of this for me, but... I dunno, maybe I feel bad for everything I did to her when I was younger..."

"Some of which was justified..."

"That's just it though, _some_. Not all. I could've been the bigger person and walked away, but I didn't. I wanted revenge on her, never realizing that she had her reasons, however petty or unjustified they may have been." Timmy crossed his arms and frowned, though not quite in sadness, more in an odd sort of determination.

"But you were ten. Children make mistakes, and you didn't know about Vicki's home life-"

"But how long can I really fall back on that excuse? 'I was a kid! I didn't know any better!' Wanda, at some point I have to take responsibility for my actions! Maybe throwing Vicki a good birthday party; especially since she's never had one, is my way of making amends, without telling her what I did, since it would jeopardize me keeping you and Cosmo. I don't expect it to be easy... But nothing worth doing ever is, and I have to try."

Timmy at last left his room and made his way down the stairs to the living room, not noticing the prideful tear falling down his godmother's cheek. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, the brunet found his babysitter still sitting on the couch, still watching TV, apparently she hadn't noticed that he had been gone. "Hey Vicki!"

The red-head glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "...Why are you so chipper?" There was a certain wary tone in her voice. Which was understandable, Timmy rarely greeted her with anything more than indifference, much in the same way she greeted him as of late.

"Well... I figured we could go to the mall?"

"For what?" Vicki shut off the TV and stretched.

"_Okay, halfway there, she wants to go... or at least get out of the house..."_ "For... your birthday?"

"What? You gonna take me out to eat or something?" there was clear amusement in Vicki's voice, seeing as how she was joking.

"If you want? I have money." Timmy shrugged.

Vicki narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing! Just wanted to take you out for a bite to eat on your birthday."

"...Uh-huh. Well, whatever. Your money, your loss. Let's go." Vicki walked past Timmy and took her keys out of her pocket, then began spinning them on her finger. "Coming?"

"Y-yeah!" Timmy hurriedly followed Vicki out of his house and over to her car.


	2. Inviting the Guests

"My ex-crush can be such a pain in the ass!" Tootie threw her hands up in the air. "Sure, invite the two girls over who relentlessly made fun of all of us for the past six years, should be fun! Argh!" she flopped down on her back onto her bed. "I said I would help... So I'll help..." she got off the bed and grabbed her dufflebag, now filled with various items for the party, then made her way out of her room, down the stairs, and out the front door. "A car ride would be nice... But mom and dad are probably busy... Damn."

Thankfully for the raven-haired girl, Timmy's house wasn't _that_ far away, so the walk wouldn't be too hard on her. "I just don't understand him sometime- Ever. Making nice with those... Ugh... Trixie and Veronica? What for? _He's_ over Trixie, Veronica's over _him_... What's he gonna do next, make friends with Francis- Oof!" Tootie collided with a wall, apparently due to not watching where she was going.

"Who crashed into me?"

"A talking wall?" Tootie stepped back and looked up at the blockade in the sidewalk to find that it wasn't a wall at all... Though the impediment in front of her likely had all the intelligence of one.

"Oh. It's you. Turner's little girlfriend."

"Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Excuse me." Tootie attempted to walk around Francis, only to be stopped by a large gray hand on her chest, though its owner was likely too dumb to realize the implications of where his hand was.

"Sorry. I had a meeting with your little boyfriend today, but it seems he chickened out, so you'll have to do instead." Francis cracked his knuckles, likely hoping that he looked threatening.

"You wouldn't hit a girl with glasses, would you?" Tootie fluttered her eyelashes mockingly. Flirting with Francis was right up there with shoving her face into a wood chipper.

The gray fifteen year-old reached forward and took Tootie's glasses off, then placed them down gingerly on the sidewalk. "Maybe not with glasses, but a girl? I don't see gender differences."

"That must be very hard on you." Tootie re-adjusted the shoulder strap on her dufflebag. "That was an insult, by the way. Now move. I've got a party to plan."

"Well now I'm definitely hitting you." As Tootie expected, Francis reared back, then brought his fist forward quickly(though not as quickly as Vicki), missing the girl as she ducked.

"Look, seriously? I'm busy. I've got to make amends with my sister, and every minute I spend here is a minute spent _not_ organizing this party, so-" Tootie sidestepped another punch. "You know what?! Try that again! I dare you! I've been fairly polite, but all you're doing is being a dickface-" Again, Tootie ducked a punch, only this time her right hand shot out... And right into Francis' most sensitive area.

"AGH!" Francis cried out as Tootie's grip went from 'simple' to 'death-grip'. "L-let go!"

"Yeah, I'm gonna go with no. Hm? Y'know something? They're smaller than I'd expect for someone of your size... Odd." Tootie tried her best to make a fist.

"NGH! Stop! Please!"

Tootie looked up at Francis to see his eyes beginning to water. "Hold that thought." she took out her phone and checked the time. "Hm... I've got a few minutes to kill... Oh!" Keeping her grip right where it was, Tootie dialed Timmy's number. "Come on..."

"Hello?"

"Hey Timmy. You on your way to the mall?"

"Yeah, pretty sure Vicki just wants to use me for my money, but that's fine. How are things on your end?"

"I've... run into a little snag." Tootie tightened her grip again. "No worries though, I can handle it. Just make sure my sis uses you for _just_ your money, got it?"

"What's that supposed to-"

"Gotta go!" Tootie smiled and hung up.

"P-please! I-"

"You'll shut up, that's what you'll do." Tootie glared at Francis.

"Ngh..."

"I guess... I should... See if Trixie and Veronica want to come..." ignoring the look of hope on Francis' face as it was quickly dashed, Tootie began dialing Trixie's number... Only to cancel that and call Veronica instead. "C'mon... The only reason I'm calling you is because I hate your stupid, dumb-"

"Hello?"

"Hey Veronica!" Tootie immediately adopted the sugary facade her sister was so fond of. "So I was wondering if you and Trixie might want to come to my sister's birthday party?"

"Who is this?"

Had Tootie's hands not been preoccupied, she would've facepalmed at that. "Tootie! Y'know... Friend of Timmy, Chester, and AJ?"

"Oh! Okay, yeah! I remember you now! Sorry about that, I'm not great with putting voices together with faces. So a party, huh? Um... I don't think Trixie has anything planned today... Can I call you back in a few? I'll ask her if she can come."

"Alright..." _"Wow... I didn't expect the conversation to go... this well..."_ In truth, Tootie didn't have particularly high opinions regarding Trixie and her little lieutenant. She didn't necessarily _hate_ the two popular girls... It was more like... distrust. Trixie had gone out of her way to break Timmy's heart(and failed), and Veronica had a bit of a creepy obsession with Timmy that rivaled her own.

"Okay, talk to you in a few."

Tootie heard Veronica hang her phone up, and Tootie hung up her own phone and turned her attention back to Francis. "So. How long have we been sitting here? Five minutes? Ten? I tend to lose track of time when I talk on the phone." Tootie giggled. "Bad habit of mine. Your day goin' good? Mine's been... I dunno, fair, I guess. I mean, my best friend comes over, asking me to throw a birthday party for my sister, who, while she hasn't made my life easy growing up, _does_ deserve one, and I feel like shit because I, her own sister, forgot her birthday in the first place." Tootie shook her head.

"Gah... Ugh..." Francis was practically whimpering at this point.

"And _then_, he wants me to invite these two girls over that were my main competition for his heart! I don't _really_ mind, but sometimes, Timmy can be just a little _too_ forgiving... Ah well, I suppose it's fine. Maybe I can _bond_ with them while we're putting up the decorations or something... Ugh! But then I have to explain to Chester and AJ that it's _Vicki's_ birthday and... Oh! And then _you_ show up and try to punch me! I am just not having a good day, am I?"

"I-I'm sorry-"

"Oh! Hold that thought!" Tootie interrupted Francis' apology as her phone began to ring. "Hello?"

"Hey Tootie! Veronica again, Trixie said she'll come, so when's the party?"

"Um... About... an hour and a half from now... Oh! But if you two wanna come over and help me decorate, that'd be awesome!"

"Sure! Where's the party again?"

"Timmy's house, you know where he lives, right?"

"Timmy... Oh! Yeah, no problem! We'll be there in a few, see you soon!" without even a 'Bye!', Veronica hung up, and Tootie did the same.

"Well, it looks like _our _bonding time has come to an end." Tootie finally released Francis, who doubled over in pain and curled into the fetal position as he clutched his weak spot. "I do hope this has been an... eye-opening experience for you." Tootie stooped and picked up her glasses.

"But-but how c-can you see w-without your glasses?!" Francis cried out from his position on the sidewalk, eyes still watering as he tried to recover from the small girl's deathgrip.

"Because I don't _need_ them to see things that are right in front of me, duh. You think I'm blind without them?" Tootie shook her head and turned toward the direction Timmy's house was in. "Have a nice day~!" Tootie sang out as she once more adjusted the strap of her dufflebag and hurried along. She had played around enough, now it was time to work. "...And wash my hand... Eugh!"

A few minutes later, and Tootie found herself in front of Timmy's house, with the two most popular girls in her and Timmy's school sitting on the porch, looking rather bored. "Hey!" Tootie jogged over to meet Trixie and Veronica. "Sorry, got caught up on my way here..." Remembering what Timmy had told her, Tootie lifted up the welcome mat, revealing a small gold-colored key. "Amazing that no one's ever broken in..." she rolled her eyes and picked up the key, using it to unlock the door and heading inside. _"Figures. Spend six years of my life trying to get to this moment, to get inside his house without having to use deception, or breaking in, and now it doesn't even matter."_

"So whose birthday is it again?" Trixie spoke up as she tapped Tootie on the shoulder.

The bespectacled girl spun around, remembering where she was, and how pressed for time they were. Timmy was clever, she knew that, considering it was one of the reasons she love- Liked him. As a friend. But he was also stuck, on his own, dealing with _Vicki_. Knowing her sister, the red-head wouldn't want to be out for long. "My sister, Vicki's." Thankfully, Tootie _did_ have a few things working in her favor. The first being that Trixie and Veronica didn't _know_ Vicki, so they had no reason to be scared of her, and therefore no reason not to help. The second was that Chester and AJ were going to show up, at some point, and they didn't know the party was for the girl they hated so much. _"Deception is fun!"_ "Okay, everything we need is either in my bag-" Tootie tossed her dufflebag onto the couch. "-Or in Timmy's room. Up the stairs, first door on the right. I have to go wash my hands, you two... Get started decorating I guess?" Tootie spun around and made her way into the kitchen.

"You mean _we_ have to decorate?! Ugh..." Trixie frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "I have people for this sort of thing!"

"C'mon Trixie! It might be fun!" Veronica, upbeat as ever, tried to persuade Trixie to do something other than stand around and whine.

"...Fine. I guess it can't be all _that_ hard..."

Tootie, meanwhile, heard this exchange from the kitchen, over the running water of the sink, and shivered. Not because she was washing her hands in cold water, but because she was positive she just felt Hell freeze over. "That does not help to quell the rumors surrounding your relationship..." Tootie shut off the sink and dried off her hands, then moved back into the living room and bent over to rummage through her dufflebag...

_KNOCK-KNOCK_

Only to sigh in agitation as she was interrupted once again, this time by a knock at the front door. Standing back up, Tootie walked over to the front door and opened it to find Chester and AJ. "Hey Timmy, sorry we're a little early-"

"That's fine. I can still use you." Tootie responded happily.

"Tootie? Where's Timmy? And... why are you in his house?" Chester peeked in over Tootie's shoulder and looked around, then gasped. "You have him tied up, don't you?!"

"No." Tootie deadpanned. "I'm just helping set up for the party while he goes to get... Supplies." _"And the woman of the hour."_ "Trixie and Veronica are already helping, so if you guys-"

"Say no more!" Chester practically flew by Tootie upon hearing the two girls' names.

"So what's the occasion anyway?" AJ spoke up, rousing Tootie from her disapproving glare towards Chester.

"Hm? O-occasion? It's... What did Timmy tell you two?" Tootie backed away from the door, allowing AJ to come in, before shutting it behind him.

"Very little." AJ about-faced and crossed his arms while quirking an eyebrow up at Tootie. "Just told Chester that there was a party, and somehow I got roped in."

"Oh. Well then... Um... Come-come into the kitchen with me... And... bring Chester!" Tootie darted past AJ and into the kitchen, then over to the drawer that she knew the duct tape would be in. _"Alright, so I didn't get them to help me decorate... But I can still keep them here!"_

"Alright, I'm coming! Jeez... Try to talk to my new lady friend for a few minutes and you gotta interrupt..." Tootie heard Chester complaining as she assumed AJ was dragging him into the kitchen. Her assumption was confirmed as AJ did indeed drag Chester in. "Hey Tootie."

"So why did you need us to come in here?" AJ asked. "Seems like there really isn't anything you could tell us that you couldn't also tell Trixie and Veronica..."

"Actually, you're right." Tootie stepped forward, walking past Chester and AJ as she did. "But I need you both to promise that you won't run out of here screaming when I tell you what I'm about to tell you, okay?"

"Oh my Glob, you still like Timmy, don't you?!" Chester exclaimed.

"What?! No! I-" Tootie narrowed her eyes at her blond friend as he began giggling at her. "Aha. So funny." the girl deadpanned. "I'm not saying anything more until I get a promise. From both of you."

"I promise. I'm not gonna go running out of here when you say... whatever it is you have to say." Chester rolled his eyes and leaned on the counter.

"Uh-huh. AJ?" Tootie raised an eyebrow and looked at her other friend.

"While I'm sure that we'll all come to regret this in due time, very well."

"...Very well...?" Tootie leaned in with a smirk, making AJ take a step back.

"I promise I won't run out of here when you say... Would you please just get on with it woman?!"

"Okay fine... No need to yell... This party... Is Timmy's idea, I cannot stress that fact enough. And it's not just a random party for no reason other than to have a party. Today is... Ahem, Vicki's birthday."

Silence; the uncomfortable variety.

"Huh... Today is... Vicki's birthday?" Chester began. "You sure? I thought it always rained on her birthday?"

"She's my sister! You think I'm _un_sure of when her birthday is?! And yes, I realize that- Chester grab AJ!"

The blond spun around and latched onto his friend as he tried to covertly escape.

"Agh! Let me- Lemme go! I am _not_ sticking around for the she-devil's party! No way, no how! I value my life too much to stick around! Promises or no! Now let me go, Chester!" AJ struggled in vain, surprising even Tootie, since she had no idea that Chester was so strong, considering that he was about as lean as Timmy.

"Ah ah ah... You made a promise. And you're keeping it, whether you like it or not." Tootie placed the roll of duct tape down on the kitchen table. "An incentive for how you'll be rewarded if you try to escape, got it?"

"Dammit..." AJ muttered as he looked away. "I told you this was a bad idea, man! Why didn't you just listen?! And why are you in on this?!" AJ looked at Chester in disbelief now. "_Are_ you in on this?! You knew the whole time, didn't you?!" Disbelief turned into what appeared to be disgust.

"Eh." Chester shrugged.

"Eh?!" AJ's eyes widened in shock. "That's all you can say?! Since when are you two in cahoots?! And... and Timmy too? Timmy's in on... Is this all some ploy to get me here so Vicki can torture me for her birthday? This is- I can't even-" AJ began hyperventilating and sweating profusely.

"You done?" Tootie at last spoke up, sounding rather bored about the whole affair.

"Pretty much." AJ responded with a sigh.

"Good. You may release him." Tootie waved her hand in the air.

"You sure? Okay..." Chester did as he was told and stepped away from AJ, then leaned up against the counter again.

"So. Now we have to figure out what we're gonna do. You _could_ run outta here, but you'd be breaking a promise. Not a very _friendly_ thing to do, especially since Timmy asked you and Chester to come over here. Think of it like this: Maybe Vicki kills you, maybe she actually appreciates you guys going out of your way to throw her an awesome birthday party. You really gonna pass up what could possibly maybe be a golden opportunity?"

"You're all evil. Seems like I'm the only sane person left around here... But for the sake of Timmy- And _only_ Timmy- since you two are evil, I'll stick around and help... Much of a bad idea I _know_ this is." AJ frowned again and turned around, then headed back into the living room. "What the Hell am I _thinking_?!"

"Phew! Thanks for the assist, Chester!" Tootie leapt at the blond and hugged him. "I never expected things to go as well as they are!"

"Anytime. It was worth it just to see the look on Brainiac's face!" the blond chuckled as he returned the hug.

"Y'know..." Tootie pulled back slightly to look at Chester more directly. "I _do_ have to wonder though, why agree to this? Need I re-iterate that this is _Vicki's_ party? My evil sister, _our_ evil babysitter?"

"I know who your sister is." Chester shrugged. "But I made a promise that I'd stick around, no matter what the reason for me and AJ being here was. And there's the fact that you were honest."

"Hm. Alright, suppose we can attribute your loyalty to me and Timmy here as well, right?"

"Um... Yeah, that too... There _is_ one more thing though..."

"Which is...?" _"C'mon Chester! We have to decorate the house before Timmy and Vicki get back!"_

"I never realized how hot you are when you're yelling at someone."

"_And then we have to-"_ Tootie's thoughts crashed into a brick wall. She must've misheard, right? "Pardon me?"

"You. That whole speech just now to AJ? And threatening to duct tape him if he tried to escape? That. Was. Awesome. Never knew you had such a temper... It's... well, it's kinda hot." Chester smirked.

"...Oh! You! Okay... Hah Hah. Very funny... I thought you- Heehee! That's pretty convincing acting, almost as good as my sister's! You-" Tootie put her hands on the blond's chest, attempting to push herself away, but Chester did not relinquish his grip. In fact, he actually seemed to _tighten _his grip on the slightly shorter girl. "Um... You can let go of me now..." Tootie pushed on his chest again. "Chester?"

Chester didn't respond, opting instead to quirk an eyebrow up at the bespectacled girl in his arms.

Tootie felt her glasses slip down her nose a bit, leaving nothing between her violet eyes and Chester's blue ones. And then she felt her face heat up. "Umm..."

"Hey! You two gonna help or not?!" a disgruntled-sounding AJ called from the living room, making Chester release Tootie at last.

"We should! Um! Go and d-decorate! You know... B-Because my sister and... Stuff?" Tootie pushed her glasses back up and attempted to hide her blush. Poorly.

"Yeah, I suppose we should..." Chester turned away from Tootie and walked out of the kitchen.

Tootie watched him leave, then released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. "Hot? M-me?!"


	3. Birds, Bees, and Vents

"So who was that?" Vicki asked disinterestedly as she pulled into a spot in the mall's parking lot.

"Tootie." Timmy remarked nonchalantly as he pocketed his phone.

"So why is she calling you? Oh no... Is she still obsessed with you?"

"Nah... I don't think so anyway... She just likes to call and check up on me." Timmy shrugged. "I guess that's just what good friends do, right?"

"That's what girls who have an unhealthy obsession do too." Vicki got out of her car, followed shortly after by Timmy. "And I'd watch your tongue next time, Twerp. 'Using you for your money'?"

"Well..." Timmy chuckled nervously as he rubbed the back of his head. "Are you saying it's not true?"

"No. But that doesn't mean it was very nice... Do you even realize how much of a mistake this little plan of yours is? I am most definitely going to take advantage of you, and your money."

"And you're more than welcome to. I told you, it's your birthday, so I'm taking you out for a bite to eat... And I guess whatever else you want to do..."

"Oh Twerp..." Vicki giggled and stepped forward so she was standing in front of the brunet. "You have made a _huge_ misstep in judgment... Huge." the red-head ruffled Timmy's hair, then turned away from him and towards the entrance of the mall. "Coming?"

"Yeah..." Timmy was beginning to think that she was right, that this _was_ a terrible idea. Not that he could get out of it now. He followed her through the entrance doors, through some clothing store(not catching the name as he entered), and out into the main mall proper. "So, wanna get food first, or... Shopping?"

"Because I look like a shopaholic, right?" Vicki smirked at him, amused that her Twerp was trying to treat her like some girly-girl from his school.

"No... I mean... We'll do... whatever you wanna do! Really. It's your birthday, lead the way!" Timmy could acknowledge that he was probably just digging this hole deeper, but no one should be as depressed as Vicki had seemed on their birthday, not even her. And he took note that she _did_ seem to be in a slightly better mood, though it was probably because she didn't have to pay for anything.

Again, Vicki smirked at him, only this time, it was _much_ more sinister, making Timmy's blood run cold.

A few minutes later, and the brunet found himself at a restaurant that was _far_ fancier than either of them was dressed for, and one he wasn't quite sure he could afford in the first place. "Um... Here? At-"

"Giovanni's? You _did_ say for me to lead the way... Not waffling already, are you?"

"No. No, of course not... I'm just not sure if I... Well..."

"Have enough to afford this place _and_ get me a birthday gift?"

"...Well yeah..." Timmy looked around nervously. He felt out of place in this restaurant. While the few other patrons wore suits, fancy dresses, and the like, Timmy still wore his regular street clothes... As did Vicki. They weren't getting any odd or annoyed looks... but-

"Don't worry so much, it's bad for your health. I'll make sure to cover what you can't, should it get that bad." Vicki relaxed in her seat and sipped from her glass of water, just in time for a waitress to show up.

She was blonde, with shoulder-length hair, dressed in the traditional waitress attire. And happy. "Hi! Welcome to Giovanni's! My name is Sara and I'll be your waitress today! Have you already decided on what you'd like for an appetizer, or do you need a few minutes?" Very happy.

"Uh... Can we get a few minutes?" Timmy asked, seeing that Vicki was preoccupied with her water.

"Sure! I'll be back to check up on you both in a few!" the upbeat waitress scurried off, reminding Timmy of some odd fusion of two _other_ females in his life.

Timmy sighed and shook his head.

"Oh... Now don't tell me you've sworn off chicks, have you Twerp?"

"Hm?" Timmy looked at Vicki. "Sworn off? No... She's just... She reminds me of Tootie and Veronica... Veronica especially, too happy. She can't _possibly_ like her job _that_ much..."

"What's a Veronica?"

"A friend of Trixie's, the girl-"

"You've had a crush on for the better part of six years... Right?"

"Wrong." Timmy cut her off. "Five years. I've been over Trixie for quite some time now. Just took me a while to realize I never had a chance in the first place."

"Oh? So there's no special girl in your life right now?"

"Nope."

"You don't sound too sad or disappointed about that."

"Why should I be?" Timmy drank from his own glass of water now. "I finally got Tootie to stop obsessing over me and just be my friend, made peace with Trixie and Veronica so my friends and them aren't fighting... I'm not really looking for a relationship right now. Things are... things are good. I'm happy."

"Hmph. You on drugs or something?"

"No... Why would you assume that? I can't be happy without being on drugs?"

"I... suppose you can... You've just- I dunno. You've always been kinda neutral in terms of mood, or depressed, especially when I'm around..." Vicki ran her finger along the rim of her glass.

"Well... I mean, we've been pretty cool lately too, right? I don't know if it'd be safe to call us friends, but we're not at each others throats anymore... so?"

"I guess." Vicki sighed as she slumped into her chair. "Why are you doing this anyway?"

"Doing what? Taking you out to eat on your birthday?"

"Yeah. Even Tootie wouldn't go to these lengths... So what's the deal?" her interest piqued, Vicki leaned in toward Timmy.

"You were the one who said your family never really celebrates your birthday... And since we're cool and you've helped me out in the past, I wanted to do something nice for you... That's okay, right?"

"It's odd is what it is." Vicki raised an eyebrow up at Timmy's explanation, evidently not being able to take it at face value. "Why something so big, so suddenly? We both know that while I've pulled your ass out of the fire, I wouldn't do something like this for you... Which either means you have a big heart and are _way_ too nice... Or...?"

"Or?" Timmy found himself oddly interested in this other reason, what could it be?

Vicki smirked at him. "Or you like me."

"Wha? Heh... I'm starting to think you and Tootie think a lot alike. She asked me once if I liked you... I do like you-"

"Huh?!" Vicki's eyes looked as though they'd burst from their sockets.

"As a friend." Timmy clarified. "Don't you think it'd be a little awkward for me and you to... Y'know...?"

"Ugh..." Vicki grinned and shook her head. "Had me going for a second there... But I'm not convinced that that's all there is to it... Oh! Let's play a game!"

"A... game? Like what?" Timmy was already feeling uneasy. 'Games' in Vicki's book usually meant humiliating the brunet in some way or another.

"Just a quick little game. Close your eyes."

Timmy shot her a quizzical look.

"Come on. I'm not gonna do anything mean... Not with this many witnesses around... Close 'em."

Hesitantly, Timmy obeyed Vicki's directive and closed one eye, followed by the other. "Okay, so...?"

"What color are my eyes?"

"Wait, what?" Timmy began to open his eyes-

"Ah! No peeking!"

Only to shut them again. "Okay... Your eyes are pink, what's it matter?"

"Aha! You know what color my eyes are without looking! Clear sign that you like me to some degree! I _knew_ it! You're crushing on your babysitter!" Vicki remarked victoriously and laughed lightly.

Timmy's eyes shot open. "Th-that's not fair! Of course I know what color your eyes are! Not like there are a lot of people with pink eyes! You're the only person I know with pink eyes anyway!" Okay, so technically that wasn't true, but fairy godparents and Ricky didn't apply here. And while Timmy had met Tootie and Vicki's mother once, he couldn't remember if her eyes were pink or not.

"Hm..." Vicki seemed to consider his point, before frowning as she realized he was right. Other than Ricky; who obviously didn't apply here, she was the only person she knew with pink eyes. Well... except her mother, but she was sure Timmy hadn't met her parents... and her father's eyes were blue. "Alright fine. So that wasn't a very well thought-out test... You still haven't told me about this 'Veronica'."

"Well... I don't really know all that much about her, other than the fact that Tootie said she had a crush on me when I was ten, which Tootie likely only knew because-"

"She had a crush on you as well, yeah." Vicki stated disinterestedly as their waitress returned.

"So what can I get you two?" Sara took out a pen and paper.

Timmy looked across the table at Vicki. "You wanna get an appetizer, or...?"

"Hm... I think we might as well just skip to the main course Hon'." Vicki winked at Timmy.

"_Hon'?"_ "Okay... Gimme a sec to decide then, you order first." That wink signified a plan of some sort, and calling him Hon'? Clearly she meant for them to pretend they were..._ together_, but to what end? What on Earth could she be planning... And why was he always out of the loop when there was a plan?!

"I'll have... the Chicken Cacciatore over Ziti and... I guess a coke, since I forgot my fake ID." Vicki handed her menu to Sara.

"'Kay!" Sara evidently blew off the fake ID comment and turned to Timmy. "And you?"

"I'll... just have the lasagna and a coke, thanks." Timmy handed off his own menu to the waitress.

"Okay! Shouldn't be too long of a wait!" the bubbly girl spun around and hurried off to another table.

"So in regards to why she's so happy- And don't try to say you weren't still wondering- Acting happy like that is a good way to get tips." Vicki took her various utensils out of her napkin and looked very closely at the knife.

"Oh... Okay then. So why call me Hon'?"

"Because, I like making you squirm, and clearly the thought of me and you together makes you uncomfortable. Actually, girls in general seem to make you uncomfortable. You acted like an idiot around Tang, lived in fear of my sister and that blonde girl... Had I not called you that, our waitress would be trying to charm you too, if only to earn a few extra bucks." Vicki placed her knife back down next to her fork and laid the napkin across her lap. "How am I doing so far?"

Timmy smirked and leaned on his elbow as he rested it on the table. "So far so good. But you're gonna have to try a bit harder than 'Hon' to make me squirm-" Timmy stopped talking as he felt... _something_ on his upper thigh. He leaned back a bit and looked down to find that it was his babysitter's black stockinged foot.

Timmy felt all his confidence shatter like glass and be swept away. He shot the red-head a wide-eyed look, hoping that it would be enough to get her to stop this little game. "V-Vicki...?"

She looked at him sultrily while leaning in the very same way he had been a moment earlier. "You seem... _Tense_..." she pressed her foot against his inner thigh at 'tense'. "I wonder why...?"

At her playful teasing, Timmy unconsciously closed his legs tightly, effectively trapping her foot where it was. "M-move your foot!" the brunet whispered across the table at Vicki, almost pleadingly.

"Can't. You seem to have a pretty firm grip on it..." Vicki wiggled her toes, which only made Timmy tighten his grip. "You ticklish?"

"Stop doing that!" Timmy again whispered, now through clenched teeth.

"I'll take that as a yes." again, she wiggled her toes, but Timmy's grip didn't tighten this time, likely because it was already as tight as it could get.

Timmy released a huff though his nose as he felt his cheeks heat up, then parted his legs and released Vicki's foot. "There."

"Thanks!" she pulled her foot away, making sure to slowly drag it across his thigh as she did, before returning it to her shoe. "_Never_ challenge me, got it?"

Timmy nodded his head up and down vigorously.

"Good."

_Meanwhile..._

"Okay... I think we're doing pretty good!" Tootie exclaimed happily as she placed the last of twenty candles in her sister's birthday cake. She had no idea how Timmy had the uncanny foresight to pick up a cake for Vicki, but she was glad that he did. The only problem was that the cake said 'Happy Birthday Vicky', but a quick erasing with one of the candles fixed that.

"Yeah we are..." a husky whisper at her ear and a light weight on her shoulder made Tootie jump slightly, though she quickly relaxed.

Her blond friend was now another interesting development today. After seeing her temper flare up for the first time, Chester seemed to completely drop his interest in Veronica and turn it entirely on her.

"You are _so_ lucky it's just you and me in here, else you'd be wearing this cake..." That wasn't to say Tootie didn't enjoy the attention, odd and spontaneous as it was, but Chester had somehow gone from her dopey blond friend who was nervous around the girl he liked(Veronica), to a sly, confident(maybe a little _too_ confident) teen that was suddenly transfixed with one of his best friends. It put Tootie... on edge.

"Alright, I'll back off..."

Tootie felt the weight lift off her shoulder and assumed it must've been the blond's head. "-sigh- Don't you... like Veronica or something?" she turned around to face Chester; who was still wearing a smug grin, and leaned against the table.

"Well... I think we can both admit that Veronica is easy on the eyes..." Chester rubbed his chin in apparent appreciation of the popular girl.

"I'll give you points for honesty, but whether or not I think Veronica is attractive is irrelevant. Are you saying you _don't_ like her?"

"That's... a difficult question." Chester admitted and frowned. "Thing is, I like Veronica to some extent... But I don't really know her. I know she's hot-"

"Hmph!"

"But! But she's- I mean, I don't really _know_ her, y'know? And she hasn't exactly been... All that interested in me when I try talking to her..."

"You _do_ realize she's a blonde ditz, right? And that she practically worships the ground Trixie walks on? Put two and two together here Chester. If she's not interested in you, and has been following Trixie around for the past six years... Think about it!" Okay, so technically Tootie wasn't sure of this. She certainly knew about the rumors floating around their high school, and even late into the eighth grade, but she had never gone out of her way to delve into Trixie and Veronica's home lives. It really could be that Trixie and Veronica were just really close.

However, in much the same way that Tootie had gone out of her way to keep Trixie and Timmy from forming a relationship, she was going to do the same for Chester. Partly because she didn't want him to get hurt by the popular girl(assuming their relationship wouldn't work out), and partly because... her interest was piqued upon this new development. Chester, one of her best friends and Timmy's first friend... Liked her?

"So you think Veronica's... Playing for the other team?" Chester turned his head toward the door that separated the kitchen and living room, making sure that their little conversation stayed relatively private.

"It honestly wouldn't surprise me if it was the case. Do I know for sure? No." Tootie followed Chester's gaze and heard the distinct sound of someone going up the stairs, likely to Timmy's room. "But that's really neither here nor there. I think we should be more focused on you and me-"

In an instant, Tootie found herself pinned between the kitchen table, and her blond friend.

"What are you-?! Where's the nervous, shy-around-girls Chester that I know?! And how can you just decide to like me on a whim after seeing me get mad at AJ?! You suddenly have a thing for girls with tempers?!" it wasn't just the fact that she was being pressed up against the kitchen table by her best friend while three other people were around; which ensured she'd never hear the end of this, should they decide to walk into the kitchen, but currently, the kitchen table was pressing into the small of her back, it was a bit uncomfortable.

"I'm still here..." Chester smirked at her, and Tootie found that, for the moment, their closeness didn't really bother her. "It's just that... Well, I know you. I think I'd be a bit more nervous if you were some girl I _didn't_ know, but we've been friends for years, dontcha think it'd be awkward for me to suddenly be all nervous and blushy around you? Not to mention it'd raise some definite red flags from Brainiac. As for the temper thing... It helps."

Tootie frantically looked around, hoping she could find a way out of this. Chester liking her... it wasn't unwelcome... But she didn't want to have to deal with it now! Not like this anyway... She needed to focus on Vicki's birthday right now, personal feelings could come later. "You're um- kinda hurting my back..."

"Oh. Sorry about that." Chester stood up, since he had been leaning into Tootie, and snaked his right arm around her, then rubbed at the spot that had been pressing into the table.

"Would you stop?!" the nervous but small smirk on her face betrayed her attempts at sounding angry. "Just- Let's just focus on the party for now, please?" She hadn't meant to sound like she was pleading with him, but Tootie suddenly found that her emotions and feelings were a mess. This morning had started off normal, with her meaning to throw out everything that made up her little shrine to Timmy, because she told herself she was over him. Of course, that was only partially true, and she knew it. It would likely be some time before she was truly 'over' the brunet, but admitting that she was done to herself had been a good first step...

Never in her craziest dreams did she expect... Whatever was going on between her and Chester to be going on. She needed a little while to think, she needed-

Tootie looked up at Chester to find that he was still smirking at her, and it was quickly having an odd effect on her stomach, judging by the flips it currently felt like it was doing. "Stop giving me that look!" she felt her cheeks beginning to heat up, realizing she was still being held by her blond friend, who was clearly enjoying the little mental breakdown he was giving her. "Seriously! Quit it!" the bespectacled girl at last squirmed out of her friend's grip and took a wary step back.

"Would you prefer I frown?"

"No, I would prefer that we throw my sister a party, and talk about 'us' once we're in the clear, is that too much to ask?"

"Well... I suppose not." Chester shrugged. "Lemme ask though... Are you _really_ over Timmy?"

"Are _you_ really over Veronica?" Tootie, now feeling a bit more confident, asked as she raised an eyebrow.

"Hm... Touche. Ugh... this isn't good. We aren't even together and we need couples' therapy..." Chester laughed at his joke and left Tootie alone in the kitchen as he returned to the living room.

Tootie waited until the door stopped swinging before facepalming. What was it about her friends that made either her have a crush on one of them, or one of them have a crush on her?! _"Still... it might be nice to have someone actually return my affections for once..."_ she thought acidly as Timmy came to mind.

"Hey Toots! Get in here! I'd say our friends did a _pretty_ good job!"

"_Toots?! When did I give permission for nicknames?!"_ Tootie trudged into the living room and stopped next to her blond friend. "No. That's all I'm gonna say." she looked around as party streamers hung around the room and balloons floated while tied to various pieces of furniture. It wasn't extravagant by any means, what with four out of five people doing the decorating(Tootie was coordinating everything), but it was nicely done, and the look on Vicki's face when she got back would almost certainly be priceless...

"You don't like how we decorated?" AJ looked over the back of the couch at her and Chester, and was soon joined by the peeking heads of Trixie and Veronica.

"I didn't say that. I was talking about-" Tootie glanced at Chester, who was currently glancing at her with a sly grin. _"Have his eyes always been that blue- No! Focus!"_ "Never... mind. It looks great, thank you for helping out you guys, really."

"So... Vicki hopefully _won't_ kill us...?" Veronica squeaked out over the back of the couch.

"Kill you? Why would she- ...What did AJ tell you?" Tootie pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance. This was exactly what she was afraid of. It was why she knew she'd regret not covering her friend's mouth with duct tape.

"Um... Just that Vicki can be... mean. And violent." Veronica stammered out.

"And terrifying." Trixie spoke up now, clearly on edge, though not as nervous as her blonde friend. "Why didn't you tell us you're sister is as mean as she is?"

"Be-because she isn't! I mean, she used to be, but she's gotten better over the years! You think I'd throw a party for someone who's evil? Besides, she's hasn't gotten a birthday party in all the years I've been alive, so I wanted to do something nice for her!" Tootie sputtered all the while, hoping her plan wouldn't fall apart before her sister even got back.

"Well... What about you, Chester?" Veronica turned her attention to the blond in question. "Is Vicki- um... She isn't too bad, right?"

Tootie looked back and forth between Chester, Veronica and AJ. _"Great... Well, I suppose it was a good-"_

"Vicki? Yeah, she was kinda mean when she first started babysitting us, but she's changed a lot. I wouldn't say she'd get up one morning and donate to charity, or even greet any of us with a smile, but she's not... as unpleasant to be around as she used to be-"

Tootie looked at Chester, genuinely surprised that he was trying to stick up for his babysitter, and lie about her. She definitely wasn't as nice to AJ and him, the only people she really bothered to act indifferent around(rather than caustic) were her and Timmy. She could hug him right now, were it not likely to raise suspicion. Then she turned to look at AJ, who had an expression that was somewhere between disbelief and disgust, while also shaking his head back and forth. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Nah. I'd say she's cool, and you two especially have nothing to worry about."

Tootie tensed up as she felt Chester put his arm around her shoulders. Not because it was as though he hadn't done this countless times in the past; he had. More because now it made her legs feel a bit wobbly, made her stomach feel like it was full of little fluttering insects, and made her cheeks feel a bit warmer than they had a second ago. She was falling for her best friend, and she was falling _fast_. She _really_ hoped AJ wouldn't get suspicious...

"What about gifts? Won't Vicki want something from each of us?" AJ once more tried talking some sense into his two friends, along with Trixie and Veronica.

"Um! We- we kinda already got her some things... if that's alright..." Veronica spoke up as she pulled out a squarish gift from under the coffee table.

Tootie stood up on her toes to see that there was another gift underneath the table, likely the one Trixie got.

"They're... not really anything too fancy, since this was kinda short notice, but I figured we should get her something..." Veronica replied with a shy smile, realizing she had probably just made Chester and AJ look like idiots, since they hadn't brought anything for the red-head.

"I uh... Just realized that I... forgot something!" Chester suddenly spoke up as his demeanor went from calm and collected to something slightly less so.

"Which was?" AJ asked with a sly grin, hoping he wasn't the only one that hadn't gotten something for their demonic babysitter.

"I... forgot that I'm thirsty! Yeah! Anybody else... thirsty?" Chester giggled nervously as he inched his way back toward the kitchen.

"Oh! Can you get me-" before Trixie could finish, Chester disappeared, leaving a puff of smoke where he had been.

Tootie smirked and shook her head. _"Thirsty. Right."_

The blond, now free and clear from the questioning glances of his friends, whipped out his phone and began frantically texting his friend.

_At the mall..._

"Well, I'm full." Timmy leaned back in his seat and wiped his hands and mouth off with his napkin. How he had managed to eat what was essentially a brick of lasagna, he didn't know, but he _had_ skipped breakfast today, so maybe that was it. "You want dessert?"

"Mm... Nah, I'm good." Vicki lightly dabbed at her own face with her napkin, feigning table manners that she didn't really have. "Thanks for lunch!" the smile she shot wasn't _quite_ as malicious as it normally was, so Timmy assumed that meant that it was actually genuine.

"_Can't wait to see the bill... Even without ordering dessert, I doubt this'll be cheap."_ "You want me to ask for the check so we can get going then?"

"In a minute. Just need to go to the bathroom real quick... Maybe you should do the same?" She winked at him as she stood up and walked off.

"_A wink? Why is she winking at me?!"_ Timmy felt uncomfortable all over again. The first time was from her little 'game'. He didn't know _why_ it had made him uncomfortable, not entirely anyway, but he did know that some part of him... Actually enjoyed what she had done. _That_ revelation terrified him more than her little game could ever have, because he didn't know _why_ he enjoyed it. There was just some odd feeling he got from her touching his thigh that he couldn't explain... Now he felt uncomfortable because he was afraid of what that wink might've meant.

Despite this, Timmy stood up from his chair with a sigh and made his way towards the men's bathrooms, not because he had to go, but because he hoped that splashing some water on his face would help clear his head so he could figure out what was wrong with it. A buzz from his cellphone alerted him to the fact that he was being texted. He took out his phone to find that it was Chester.

_Hey dude, where is yous?_

"_Bad grammar, he's panicking." _Timmy texted back. _At the mall... Why?_

_Lets cut out the middle man, I know it's Vicki's birthday. Can U do me a solid?_

Timmy frowned as he stepped into the bathroom. If Chester already knew... then it was likely that AJ already knew... So either Tootie hadn't been able to tie them up, or they were strangely okay with going to Vicki's birthday party. Timmy shrugged after a few seconds. _What do U need?_

_A gift 4 Red!_

"Red? Who's- Oh..." _Fine. __I'll grab something so she doesn't kill the 2 of you._

_Thanks Dude! BTW, Tootie's got the hots 4 me!_

Timmy looked at his phone disbelievingly. "Tootie's got the hots for-"

"For who?"

The brunet jumped and turned around at the voice, finding it sounded oddly similar to-

"Also, you actually listened. I'm impressed, Twerp." the red-head stood before him, leaning up against one of the stalls, and looking like she had a plan. Not a good one either.

"I'm actually not all that surprised that you're in here." He really wasn't. Vicki had once barged in on him while he was taking a bath like it was the most normal thing in the world... then again, it was. For her. "But... _why_ are you in the men's bathroom?"

"Because _you_ would have a very hard time getting into the women's bathroom without arousing suspicion. Also-" Vicki paused and pointed above one of the bathroom stalls, at an open vent. "I got a great idea for getting out of here without having to pay... Interested?" she grinned at him evilly, which somehow put the brunet at ease, likely because 'evil grin' made more sense than... those _other_ grins.

"Isn't that... illegal? Skipping out on the check? What if we get caught?"

"Ugh... Such a stickler for the rules. Where's your sense of fun? Of adventure? Besides, this way I can get a free meal, and _way_ more birthday gifts... You're not gonna risk not being able to get your _favorite_ babysitter gifts on her birthday, are you?"

"You're my only babysitter!"

Vicki shrugged at this. "My point still stands. C'mon... Pwease?" in a strange aversion to how these situations normally played out, _Vicki_ gave _Timmy_ the puppy-dog eyes, something he was wholly unprepared for.

"I- Well if you do that- I mean- F-fine!" Timmy blushed as he strode over to the vent. "If you really want to, I guess I-"

"Sweet! Ladies first!" the red-head pushed past him and climbed onto the toilet lid, onto the tank of the toilet, then reached up into the vent and pulled herself up into it, startling Timmy with just _how_ quickly she did this. It was like watching someone who laid on the couch for most of the day suddenly spring up and do parkour! ...Actually... "C'mon! I'll pull you up!"

Timmy looked up at Vicki and her extended arm warily. Unlike the version of his babysitter that he was used to, the Vicki that lazed around his house all day, or got mad at him for the smallest slip-up(rare as _that_ occurrence was now); this Vicki was... he supposed 'playful' was the best word to describe her. She wasn't nearly as boring as she normally was, and she actually seemed to be having fun... Then again, Timmy figured this behavior was likely brought out because she thought she was corrupting him to be like her...

"I'm not gonna wait here all day. Snap out of it or I'm leaving you here!"

"Ah! Right!" the brunet climbed up onto the toilet lid like Vicki had done and grabbed her hand, allowing her to pull him up into the vent.

"Jeez you're heavy..." Vicki panted slightly as she released Timmy's hand and turned around in the surprisingly spacious vent. "Come on, this way should lead back into the main mall area."

"_Should_? You don't know?" Timmy crawled along after Vicki, having been under the assumption that she knew where she was going.

"Nope. Part of the excitement, right?"

Despite the fact that Timmy found the vent to be more spacious than Hollywood would have him believe, there still wasn't much room. Which meant looking ahead would have his eyes fall on Vicki's butt.

Vicki stopped crawling, nearly causing the brunet to crash into the aforementioned area. "You looking at my ass?"

"_Women must have a sixth sense for when guys look at their butt." _"Not like I have much choice." Timmy grinned. "Your big butt blocks most of the vent, in addition to keeping me from getting any sleep!" the brunet lifted his right arm just in time to avoid a back kick from Vicki.

"That insult had far less undertones when you were ten. Now it just makes me think you like looking at my ass... Something you wanna confess, Turner?"

"_How do I always end up getting things turned around on me like this?"_ Timmy sighed. "Can we just keep moving? I'm not actually that much of a fan of crawling around in vents..."

"Not even with a great view like you have right now?" Vicki began crawling forward again.

Timmy followed, feeling increasingly uncomfortable with both the situation, and his babysitter's behavior as of late. "'Fraid not."

"Hm. Interesting..." Vicki stopped again, this time causing Timmy's head to collide with her right buttock.

"_Damnit..." _"Ugh... Would you _please_ stop stopping?! And what's interesting?" Timmy laid flat on his stomach to try to look between Vicki's legs and past her. He could see light filtering in from the floor of the vent they were in.

"Seems we've come to our exit... Except... I need a screwdriver." She sounded annoyed.

"You didn't bring one? How did you get the vent off before?!"

"Hm? It was just open."

Timmy imagined she was shrugging indifferently now. "Well unfortunately, I don't carry a toolbox around wherever I go."

"Well maybe you _should_."

"I'll keep that in mind." Timmy deadpanned. "So I guess we should head back... Oh! Actually, I got an idea!" Suddenly not caring about how uncomfortable their closeness made him, Timmy crawled forward between Vicki's legs and under her.

"Ah! What are you doing?!" she giggled, her tone somewhere between surprised and amused.

"I got a quarter." Timmy stated matter-of-factly as he positioned himself on his stomach beneath the red-head and began fiddling with the screws holding the vent covering in place.

Seeing her opportunity, Vicki ceased holding herself up and dropped down onto Timmy's back so she was lying on him, making the vent creak slightly.

"Hey, c'mon! I'm just trying to get the vent covering off so we can get out of here!" Seeing the people passing beneath them in the main area of the mall, Timmy kept his tone low, though they _were_ about to open the vent and drop down, and said action of a couple of teenagers dropping out of a vent wasn't exactly inconspicuous.

"I know. And I'm very impressed with your skills of improvisation, but I'm also quite comfy lying on top of you, and it's not like I'm keeping you from unscrewing the screws, so let me enjoy myself." Vicki looped her arms under Timmy's and let her hands come to rest just under his chin, one on top of the other.

The brunet felt... somehow content to let Vicki stay where she was. In a normal situation, he'd probably feel a little uncomfortable being this close to a girl while she pressed herself against him, but he felt fine. Maybe because he didn't really think of Vicki as a girl. To him, she was just... Vicki(as long as she wasn't rubbing her foot against his inner thigh). "Fine."

A few minutes later, and Timmy had unscrewed the last of the vent's screws, allowing him to move the covering away.

"Um... Vicki? We can leave now... Vicki?"

It took several seconds for the red-head to answer with what sounded like an annoyed huff, then move her arms out from under him.

"Okay... Um... I just need to-" before he could finish, the brunet felt a hand on his own rear-end pushing him toward the opening in the vent... And out of it, causing him to unceremoniously fall out onto the floor and land on his stomach. "Okay... Ow-Oof!" A sudden weight on his back indicated that Vicki had dropped down... And _made_ him catch her.

"Thanks for catching me!" the red-head smiled down at him sweetly while various mall-goers looked on in bewilderment.

"Get... off..." Timmy looked over his shoulder at her as he lied on the ground.

"You need to work out more. Catching me with your back really can't be good for it..." the red-head looked up at the small audience they had attracted with their vent stunt. "Take a picture, it'll last longer!" she yelled angrily at them, and the onlookers quickly dispersed.

Vicki, however, stayed right where she was, much to her brunet-haired companion's annoyance. "Fine, don't get off." Timmy pushed himself up off the floor, causing Vicki to slide off him and fall onto the floor herself.

"Ah! That's no way to treat the birthday girl!" she spoke with mock-agitation, made evident as she smiled up at Timmy, who now stood over her, a look of very real agitation on his face. "Help a lady up?" she stuck her arm out at him.

"I don't see any ladies around here..." Timmy looked around for effect, even as he pulled the red-head to her feet.

"Tell me, exactly _how much_ can I get away with today? Because you're _really_ pushing your luck." she squeezed his hand tightly, though not quite enough to hurt.

"I suppose you've got free reign to be as mean or evil as you want; birthday privileges and all that." Timmy shrugged, his agitation having dissipated relatively quickly.

"Really...? Well, as much fun as it would be to take you up on your offer, you _did_ catch me, so I guess I'll just have you buy me gifts instead of hit you... Which you deserve." her grip slackened, though she did not release his hand. "Come along now, time for you to play your part."

"And dare I ask what part that is?"

"The part of the doting boyfriend-slash-pack mule, duh." Vicki pulled Timmy along, ignoring him as he shook his head and grimaced.

_Back at the Turner household..._

"Phew!" Chester wiped imaginary sweat from his brow. For now, he was in the clear. Timmy would pick up a gift for Vicki for him, and he'd pay back his friend later. How AJ was going to avoid being skinned alive, he didn't know, but maybe Timmy would cover him too...

"So you sure ran off in a huff... care to explain?" Tootie asked as she came into the kitchen.

Right. _And_ he had just made Vicki look like a saint, compared to how she actually was, anyway. Part of him hoped this meant that Vicki wouldn't kill him later, and part of him hoped Tootie would be impressed that he had gone to bat for their evil babysitter. "Heheh..." the blond turned to face the raven-haired girl and laughed nervously. "I- ah... Might've forgotten to get Vicki a birthday gift... So I texted Timmy and asked him to get me something while he's out... Why's he at the mall, anyway?"

"I needed him to keep Vicki away from here so I could set everything up." Tootie passed Chester and sat down at the kitchen table. "I'm gonna go ahead and be honest here, I forgot today was Vicki's birthday-"

"You forgot your own sister's birthday?!" amazingly, Chester whispered this question, probably remembering the other three people in the next room.

"Shh! Trust me, I feel like shit and I _really_ don't need your help to feel worse!" Tootie whispered back harshly. "The only reason I'm telling you is because I trust you, got it? AJ seems like he'll do anything to keep Vicki's attention off of himself, and I don't know those two ditzes well enough to trust them... Ugh..." Tootie paused and rubbed at her temples. "This is _so_ stressful..."

Chester moved to sit down next to Tootie at the table. "So... Do you think you could maybe convince your sister to _not_ kill me? I'd really like to... Figure out 'us', y'know?"

Tootie looked up at her friend to find him smiling at her, not the sly smile either, this one was actually genuine, and had the barest hint of nervousness to it. "No promises, but I'll see what I can do... We probably have a lot to talk about..." Tootie reached over and let her hand come to rest on Chester's. _"This feeling... It's different. With Timmy, I was so determined to get him to notice me... This is just..."_ She wasn't entirely sure.

"So... You're thinking about it?" Chester asked hopefully. It was true that he felt pretty confident around Tootie, she didn't make him anywhere near as nervous as some of the other girls in their school, but he had by now come to realize that he had good reason to be _infinitely_ more nervous than with other girls. He had somehow managed to overlook the fact that Tootie's sister was the bane of children everywhere. Who could say if she would even _allow_ him to date Tootie? The whole reason he and Tootie were friends was _because_ they were just that, friends. Finding out that he was interested in her... If Vicki didn't kill him for kicks and giggles, she'd _definitely_ kill him for that!

"I am... But we should probably keep this on a need to know basis... And no-one else needs to know..." Tootie paused as she realized what she just said. "A-assuming we even-!"

Chester looked at Tootie and frowned. "So you don't think it'll happen?"

The raven-haired girl's cheeks pinkened now. "I don't even know why you like me... For my temper? Is that all?"

"No..." Chester watched Tootie pull her hand away and return it to her lap. "I've always... Thought you were kind of... Um... Cute..." the blond felt his own cheeks heating up now. _"So much for confidence..."_ "But... I didn't want to really get in the way of what I thought you and Timmy had. You know how he is, acting like he doesn't like someone or something when he really does... The one time it was actually genuine, and I didn't believe him. I thought you two really had something... going on, y'know?"

"Well we didn't. That was all me, being too dumb to realize that all my stupid stunts were just pushing him away. I think it nearly cost us our friendship, but... I guess I got lucky. I'm not over him, I'll admit that, but I don't think there's any chance of me and him working out, either..." Tootie stood up from the table and picked up the cake, then walked over to the fridge with it and opened the door with her foot and placed the cake inside. She turned around to find Chester giving her a questioning look. "Figure that my sister is gonna milk Timmy for all he's got, which means they'll be doing a _lot_ of shopping. We've got time before they get back." She moved back to the kitchen table and sat down next to the blond again. "You make me nervous, okay?"

"Um..." Chester scratched the back of his head and glanced around. "I'm... sorry?"

Tootie chuckled. "You don't have to apologize for _that_... I'm just used to... being the one chasing the guy, y'know? Now that you... I guess it just feels weird to be the one being chased..."

"Well... Get used to it." feeling his confidence return, Chester leaned in closer to Tootie. "There's no way I'm giving up now-"

"Hey, you two-" the kitchen door burst open, revealing AJ, who immediately stopped and stared at the closeness of his two friends. "Um... Am I..." AJ raised an eyebrow up as a sly grin slowly grew across his face. "Interrupting?"

"Ahm! Nope! Just-just... having a staring contest, yep! Right, Chester?" Tootie stammered out as her blush returned in full force.

Since his back was to AJ, Chester smirked at Tootie and turned around. "She always beats me... Oh! I bet I can beat you in a staring contest, Brainiac!"

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that!" AJ pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. "_Anyway_... I wanted to tell you two that Trixie and Veronica called their limo driver so they could go out and get some food, and I'm going stir crazy in here, so I decided to join them. You wanna come?"

"Um..." Tootie considered the offer as she regained control of her more rational thoughts, Chester had once again saved her from an awkward situation. "I think I'll stay here, just in case Timmy and Vicki come back in the next few minutes."

"Oh? So he's out with the demon herself? How do we know he'll even make it back in one piece? Or at all?"

"Because my sister isn't as bad as you keep trying to convince everyone she is." Tootie narrowed her eyes irritatedly at AJ.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry I made Vicki out to be a horrible monster, however justified I might have been. I'd rather we just let this be water under the bridge than let this bother us."

"...Fine. Apology accepted... Even if I _should_ make you apologize to Vicki instead..."

Ignoring the casual threat by his friend, AJ continued. "So you wanna stay here then? Chester? What about you?" AJ turned his attention to his blond friend now.

"Eh... I'll stay here too. I kinda... slacked off a bit-"

"A bit?"

"Okay, _a lot _while the rest of you decorated. I'll see if there's anything else Tootie needs me to do. You behave yourself around those two ladies now, y'hear?"

At this, AJ grinned, a clear sign that he was going to milk his alone time with their school's two most attractive girls as much and for as long as he could. "No promises." He turned around and quickly walked out of the kitchen.

"He sure seems excited..." Tootie stated rather boredly, though the relief she felt was immense. AJ had apparently lost interest in what he walked in on, and was none the wiser now, even with Chester preferring to stay here. With Tootie. Just the two of them. Alone.

"He's not the only one." Chester remarked huskily.

"Down boy." Tootie rolled her eyes.

_Once more at the mall..._

Timmy stood near Vicki, occasionally shifting from one foot to the other and trying to cover up the crimson blush on his face. His mother, oblivious to his feelings as she was, never even tried to embarrass him like this, she always made him wait outside when she went to _this_ store...

"So who does Tootie have the hots for _now_?" Vicki looked over her shoulder as she held up what appeared to be a black bra. _Appeared_ to be because it was relatively see-through.

"_Who buys underwear that doesn't even cover you?!"_ Timmy stared, mouth agape at the bra his babysitter held. Her question never even reached his brain.

"Hello~? Earth to Twerp... Are you listening?" Vicki sighed and hung the lacy bra back up.

"Did... did you say something? I was... Wait... Where are- Why are we in _here_?!" having gotten over the shock of his imagination taking over and showing him some _very_ naughty mental images, the brunet quickly realized he was in a place that he definitely _didn't_ belong. Even as Timantha he would've felt out of place, so naturally, his realization caused him to cry out in terror... Or something similar.

"You're blushing." Vicki watched Timmy cover his face with his hands. "And making a scene. I feel sorry for whatever girl sweeps you off your feet, she's gonna have an uphill battle getting you to loosen up." she shook her head in apparent disappointment.

"So what is this?! Boyfriend training?!"

"No, this is birthday shopping. For me. I could always make you _super_ uncomfortable and try them on, then ask you how I look. ...Actually, now that I mention it..."

Timmy watched that evil smirk return to Vicki's face. "No! No way am I gonna-" the brunet paused as his imagination took over once again, showing him naughty images once more... Only now it was _Vicki_ wearing the- "Would you excuse me a second?" Timmy looked around, then stopped as his eyes fell on a large support pillar in the store. He walked over to it, then reared his head back, intending to headbutt the pillar hard enough to give himself either brain damage or amnesia, whichever came first. He brought his head forward, preparing himself for the pain that was sure to follow... Only to realize that he couldn't. Something was holding his head back.

"Stop being so melodramatic!" Vicki's hand rested on his forehead lightly, somehow keeping his head from moving forward, even as she didn't appear to display any effort at all. "Look, I'm in a fairly good mood right now, so don't ruin it with a trip to the emergency room, please?"

Timmy sighed in exasperation. "Why does it have to be so hard for us to just be normal?!"

"Normal? What do you mean? I'm not whipping a wand back and forth, granting wishes like some kind of... I dunno, fairy godparent... How is this _not_ normal?"

"Because everytime I spend a considerable amount of time around you and get used to how you are, you suddenly turn things around and act completely different! I'm glad that you're not as evil towards me, but... Why do you have to make me so uncomfortable?!" Timmy had spun around during his questioning, and now faced the red-head fully, honestly expecting her to explain to him what exactly was going on.

For a second, Vicki wasn't sure how to respond to his little tirade, but after careful thought... She giggled. And her giggling turned into light laughter. "I'm- Ahaha! I'm sorry! I'm not laughing at you, really. I just... Wow. I sometimes forget that for all those little moments of brilliance, you're kind of naïve and -no offense- a bit of a ditz... Makes me think you might dye your hair brown to cover up the fact that you're actually blond..." she slid her hand up his forehead and past his hairline... Then ruffled his hair, nearly knocking hat-Wanda off his head. "Anyway, it's because I'm a girl."

"Wha...? What does that have to do with anything?" Timmy stepped out from under her hand and shot her a quizzical look. For the moment, the fact that they were in a store dedicated to selling women's underwear that barely covered you was ignored by the brunet, in favor of getting some answers to explain... whatever was wrong with him, assuming of course, that Vicki actually knew in the first place, and wasn't just jerking him around.

"I'm guessing you've never really thought of me as a member of the opposite sex, have you?"

"Opposite sex? No... You-" Her question suddenly made a lot of sense. He always thought of Vicki as either 'Vicki', or his 'babysitter'. Those teasing remarks about him liking her didn't register, because... she was right. "Well... You're just... Vicki."

"Uh-huh... But I'm also a girl, in case you haven't noticed. See, when you hit your teen years, your body gets all screwy on you, sending out all these hormones and strange thoughts. Suddenly you find that this girl looks attractive, or this guy is really handsome, when the day before they were just people, like you... Have you seriously not had this talk with your... parents..." the red-head trailed off. _"Duh! Of course he hasn't! They barely make time to say 'good morning' to him! Nevermind telling him about the birds and the bees!" _"Right... Um... Look, all it means is that... Oh! Remember how Tootie used to chase after you all the time because she had that crush on you? Well now you'll start to feel like that around girls... I just pray you'll have more restraint than she did, else you'll find yourself in jail." Vicki deadpanned as she finished. This was definitely _not_ how she expected today to go. Giving her Twerp 'the talk'? _"Although... this does give me the opportunity to mold him however I see fit..."_

"So... I'm just gonna start liking girls for no reason? Like how it was with Trixie?"

"Well... Not necessarily. Trixie was... a lot like Tootie, in a sense. You just had a grade school crush on Trixie, much like Tootie had a similar crush on you-"

"But! When I went over to your house the other day, Tootie was throwing out all the me-related stuff!"

"Well then I guess- You-related stuff? What, did she have a shrine in her closet or something?" she looked at him quizzically. She knew her sister was obsessed, but...

"Um..." Timmy slapped his hands over his mouth. "I don't think I was supposed to tell you about that..." he mumbled out.

"...Never realized her obsession was... Wow. Um... A-anyway..." she was caught off guard by that information. "It's just hormones. They're gonna make you do crazy stuff, stuff you'll look back on and wish that it never happened."

"So... How do you know all this?"

"Huh? Well.. because I'm smart! And about to turn twenty! You think I didn't go through all this stuff myself? I _am_ human, just like you. I had the awkward crushes, the weird feelings, the... mistakes..." Vicki frowned and looked at her feet as she finished.

"Mistakes?"

"_Uh-oh. Dial it back now, girl." _"It's not important. What _is _important is-" Vicki paused and looked around. They were still standing in a store dedicated to selling lacy underwear for women, probably not the best place for 'the talk'. "Maybe... we should go and find a bench... There's- there's a lot you need to know about... Just follow me." Vicki walked out of the store with Timmy in tow, wondering how scarred this little talk would make him, considering it was coming from _her_.


	4. Stupid Teenage Hormones

Tootie fidgeted slightly as she sat on the couch next to her best friend. The day continued to be one of the strangest the fourteen year old girl had ever experienced. She felt the couch depress as Chester slid a bit closer to her.

And her blond friend continued to ignore her pleas to wait until _after_ the party to discuss their... Whatever was going on. It wasn't a relationship, not yet, and she wasn't opposed to it becoming such, but this little dance of theirs was beginning to feel more like a game of cat and mouse... And she wasn't the cat. She glanced to her right at Chester, who was looking at the TV, rather than her, but the content smile on his face made it clear he was enjoying their little game...

"When did you get rid of your braces?" she blurted out, and immediately felt like an idiot for doing so. _"Oh yeah! Great job Tootie! Just tell him that you were basically sitting here daydreaming about him! Real smooth!" _she did her best to ignore her subconscious at it berated her.

"Hm?" he looked at her in confusion. Either because he had gotten lost in watching the show on the television, or because he was surprised that she'd bring up his teeth, something that their group of friends knew he was self-conscious about, so it was rarely brought up. "Oh... Um- Last year, right around... Halloween, I think."

"Just in time for candy season, right?" _"God, I suck at making small talk..."_

"Yeah... Um... What about you?"

"...What about me what?"

"Your... braces?"

"_Oh, right. We were talking about braces..."_ "Um... I kind of... didn't." Tootie blushed pink. "Maybe we should talk about something else." she laughed nervously, forgetting the fact that when you asked about something you had in common with someone, they tended to ask you in turn about said something.

"Uh... Yeah you did. You clearly aren't wearing braces anymore." Chester stated matter-of-factly as he pointed at Tootie's mouth, earning him a light swat.

"I still have braces... Technically." Tootie stuck her index finger and thumb in her mouth and slid them down, revealing a transparent plastic mold of her teeth that slid off with her fingers. "Vicki made me get them... she said braces made me look like a nerd. But... she _did _pay for them, so it's not too bad." Tootie slid the plastic mold back onto her teeth. "Won't need 'em soon, but they are _way_ easier to deal with than braces."

"So... Vicki's not as mean as..." Chester sighed. "I thought..."

"I wouldn't go _that_ far... Lately she's just been nicer to me and Timmy. And all nicer means for Vicki is that we usually get indifference, rather than meanness. Ugh... I hope she doesn't kill him..."

"Eh... Timmy'll be fine. He's survived this long with Vicki, I think he can handle a mall outing with her." as he finished, Chester yawned and stretched his arm over the back of the couch, letting it come to rest on Tootie's shoulders.

Tootie raised an eyebrow at this. "Really?" She felt herself suddenly get pulled against Chester's left side.

"Really." the blond kept his gaze fixed on the TV, but that confident smirk returned.

"Stop that!" Tootie pointed at him authoritatively(or so she hoped).

"Stop what?" he turned to look at her, clear and obvious(and fake) confusion on his face.

"That confident smirk! I get it, in your head, I've already agreed to go out with you, but you don't have to- Y-you're doing it again!" for the umpteenth time today, Tootie felt her cheeks heating up, though she knew by this point that there was _no_ point in trying to hide her blush.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Chester stated plainly. "We're just two friends enjoying some crazy show about a teenager with ghost powers while we sit on the couch."

"I-! You-! You're such a-! Grr...!" Tootie lightly slammed her back into the back of the couch and crossed her arms over chest as her friend reclined along with her. "I hate you."

That was it. That last little interaction proved that she was officially the... 'girl' in this relationship, both physically and role-wise...

"C'mon now... Hate? What have I ever done to deserve your hatred?" Chester spoke with feigned sadness. Their little game was drawing to a close. Far more quickly than the bespectacled girl wanted to admit.

"_How can I fall so quickly?! Yesterday, everything was fine, Chester and I were just friends like... Like AJ and I! Or Chester and Timmy! But today I'm-" _Tootie had a mental war with her thoughts, a desperate attempt to give some rationality to her less-than-rational feelings.

Chester, on the other hand, was thinking much more lucidly. He didn't need to concern himself with whether or not he liked Tootie. He _knew_ he did. And now that he had spent a bit of time around other girls(and Tootie had gotten over her crush on Timmy, for the most part), his certainty of this fact was even stronger. But... Maybe he was going about this all wrong. Something(and this he could tell, judging by her behavior now) was bothering her, eating at her, making her hesitate. This was not the Tootie he knew. "I've got an idea!" he remarked excitedly and turned to look at Tootie.

"An... idea? Um... Okay... what is it-Eep!" She hated that. Everytime she was surprised, Every. Time. She squeaked. That time Timmy kissed her on her birthday. That time he gave her his Crimson Chin action figure. There... there _were_ others? Right? She couldn't remember! All she knew right now was the pounding in her chest, the hotness in her cheeks, and the lapse in rational thought and memory as she suddenly went from a seated position on the couch to a 'Why am I pinned under my best friend?!' position. "What are you doing?! Wha- What if AJ and those two walk in?! What if _Vicki_ walks in?!"

"Then they'll walk in." Chester shrugged, a light pink dusting on his cheeks. His little plan had one more part to it, but the blond suddenly found himself wondering if it was such a good idea to go through with it...

Below him, Tootie felt just as nervous as he did, if not more. Her heart felt like it was trying to break through her rib cage! In all her wildest dreams and imaginings, Timmy never did anything like this! She always imagined it would be her that initiated this sort of closeness, pinned _him_ to his couch, stole _his_ first kiss-

Chester reached down and took off her glasses, placing them on the endtable next to the couch, earning him a questioning look. "Well I don't want to break them."

"_Who was Timmy again?"_ Before she could form another semi-rational thought, Chester closed the distance between them, doing little more than bringing their lips into contact(it _was_ their first, after all), but that brief second of contact was all Tootie needed to feel the fireworks going off in her heart. It wasn't that she hadn't felt such a feeling when Timmy had kissed her that time, but that was more like a bunch of hicks blowing up M-80s in their backyard. What she felt now... It was the damn fourth of July in comparison! "Wait!" Tootie sat up, nearly headbutting Chester, who quickly pulled away.

"What?! What's-"

Before he could finish, Tootie kicked him squarely in the chest, knocking the teen off of her so she could scramble off the couch and over to the door.

"Ow. Okay, that was-Ow..." Chester rubbed at his now sore chest. Okay, so as much as he liked the temper the small girl had, he definitely _didn't_ like getting harmed during intimate moments. That was to be avoided. He looked up to see Tootie locking the front door, and closing all the curtains in the living room. "What... Was that for...?" the blond teen struggled to catch his breath. Tootie definitely had a lot more in common with Vicki than he originally thought.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Tootie returned to sitting next to Chester on the couch. "I just wanted some kind of early warning system in case AJ or my sister get back."

Chester took note of the fact that Tootie wasn't nearly as shy now, she even seemed... excited. Which meant his plan- "Ack!" he suddenly found himself roughly pushed back onto the couch as Tootie reversed their previous positions.

"Now, where were we again?" Tootie grinned down at him slyly.

_Meanwhile, back at the plot..._

Vicki sat at a bench in the mall, several candy cigarettes in her mouth, occasionally eating one and shooting her companion a glance. Much to her surprise, Timmy wasn't as horrified by her explanation as she had imagined he would be, though the red-head did subvert several... naughtier topics. Mostly because her own experience was lacking at the very best, and nonexistent at the worst. Though she wasn't an idiot, there were quite a few topics that she knew about- _"Thank you, internet."_ -yet had intentionally avoided, mostly because they were in public. She supposed she could give him 'Part Two' later...

Still, she was impressed by how well her Twerp had taken her explanation. Though he was now seemingly deep in thought, judging by the stereotypical 'Thinker' pose he had adopted. There were a few occasions where he had opened his mouth, likely to question her on something else, only to close it and return to thinking.

"So..."

Vicki looked up as the brunet began to speak.

"Babies _don't _come from a stork?"

"_The hell are they teaching kids in school these days?" _"Ugh... No! Birds don't just fly to some baby factory and pick up a random baby whenever a man and a woman love each other very much! Your parents. Had. Sex. Nine months later, you were born. Same with my parents for me and Tootie, and your parents' parents. No birds were involved." _"I sincerely hope."_ Vicki spat out all her candy cigarettes with an audible 'Pthah!' "These things suck. Least now I know _why_ they stopped making them." she stood up and stretched, noticing Timmy giving her an odd look out of the corner of her eye. _"Boys will be boys..."_

"Where do you wanna go now?" Timmy stood up in turn, grabbing the bright pink bag containing... Vicki's nightwear.

"I... Hm... You still need to get me something, don't you?"

Timmy noticed that... there was a certain change in the way his babysitter looked. Maybe it was their little 'talk', or maybe it was his imagination, but the tension between them seemed to have dissipated, it was like she had somehow softened, or like the hard-edgedness that he attributed to her earlier was suddenly missing. "What? Carrying your things around for you and buying whatever you want isn't enough?" he smirked at her to let her know he was kidding. Of course he was going to get her a gift as well, he just didn't want her to be _around_ when he did. Wouldn't be much of a surprise.

She grinned at him slyly in response. "No, it isn't." She turned away from Timmy and looked around the mall. Shopping had never been one of her favorite pastimes, she didn't have the patience to sit around trying things on, finding just the right color, waiting in line... Stealing was _so_ much easier. However, it was also something she didn't need to do if someone was paying for all the things she wanted to get. At the same time, Timmy _did_ need to go and do his own thing so he could pick up gifts for her... "I'mma go check out JCPenny, I guess." Vicki began walking off, only to be stopped by Timmy's fingers wrapping around her wrist, making her turn back to him with an expression showing clear amusement. "Aw... Are you getting clingy?"

"Clingy? No... I was gonna ask if you wanted some spending money..."

She was surprised that her little teasing remark didn't make him blush, considering less than a half an hour ago he was blushing bright red just from being in a store with her... "Nah, I'll take my time and just browse, meet me over there when you're done getting me my birthday gift." Again, she winked at him, and again, Timmy seemed unfazed by it.

"Alright, I'll try not to take too long. You're gonna behave yourself, right?"

"Behave _myself_?" Okay, _that_ was genuinely amusing. The Twerp telling her to behave herself? "You're adorable." she rolled her eyes and walked away, laughing inwardly as Timmy hesitantly released her wrist.

"Adorable? I just don't want her getting into trouble while I'm not around..." Timmy muttered to himself as he rubbed the back of his head. She had explained to him what was going on between them, it was just a phase, hormones and... stuff. Which relieved him immensely, because the brunet was worried that he might actually have feelings for his _babysitter_. "Phew, dodged a bullet there!" Now all he had to do was figure out what to get the red-head... Though he did already have his own gift for Vicki, he just needed to go buy it, after having seen it in passing a few weeks earlier. What he wasn't sure of was what Chester and AJ would get for their babysitter. "AJ... he'd probably get a bell to hang around her neck..." Timmy shook his head back and forth as he ventured deeper into the mall...

_Vicki's POV..._

"He's into me." Vicki smirked as she looked at a clothing rack covered in t-shirts of varying colors. There wasn't a doubt in her mind of this fact, and that little lingering touch of his had convinced her one-hundred percent. Of course she had her suspicions, for a while, actually. The Twerp had been acting different around her for quite some time now... He probably thought she wouldn't pick up on it, but... "Spend enough time around someone, and you tend to pick up the..." Vicki picked up a purplish-colored shirt. Tootie's color. "Little things." She dropped the shirt with a huff and left the clothing rack.

So maybe he had saved her life more times than she could count, she had done the same for him... Okay, not _as_ many times, but she _had_ saved his life. "He's still beating me though... By a long shot." That was the whole reason she was doing her best to be... _nice_. He wouldn't accept her offer of a life debt a few years back, so this was her compromise. It took her two years to _really_ try though.

Every day had been the same before then, she'd get up, telling herself 'Today will be different, today, I'll be nice to the Twerp'. "Yeah, 'cause _that_ worked out so well..." As long as she started her day calling him 'Twerp', she couldn't manage it. Some part of her calling him Twerp just brought all her anger to the surface, it took a monumental effort on the red-head's part to actually _try_ to really follow-through, to... Not be mean to him. She wasn't about to change for anyone else, only Timmy had saved her life, gone out of his way to _keep_ from throwing her to the wolves; only _he_ deserved a break from her usual self.

Vicki stopped in front of another clothing rack, this one covered in various types of pants. Mostly jeans, many of which already had rips in them, though she had no idea why. Who in their right mind spent money on pants that were already half-shredded? ...Someone who isn't in their right mind? "What am I even doing?" Vicki asked herself as she looked at the various pairs of jeans. A well-known fact was that Vicki _had_ plenty of jeans, though ninety percent of them were black, and the same could be said for her t-shirts, nearly all of those were green, or light green. It took her actually standing around in a store and appreciating all the various items for sale for the red-head to realize- "I have a pretty boring wardrobe."

The red-head glanced over at a nearby mirror and was quickly proven right in her observation. Even today, she wore her usual green shirt, black jeans, and a pair of black sneakers. And of course, her hair was in a ponytail. She was a tomboy, in every sense of the word... Outwardly anyway. Vicki dressed as such because she was savvy about boys... And she supposed the entirety of the male species in general. That's not to say she didn't think she was attractive, quite the contrary, she _knew_ she was, the soon-to-be twenty year-old simply didn't show it off, for there was no reason to. Boyfriends of the past would act like they actually _liked_ her, but, in the same way that she had fooled so many adults, they tried to fool her. In the end, there was one thing on their minds... And that was her choice, not theirs.

Huffing at her reflection and its judgmental sidelong glance, Vicki pressed on through the store, stopping in front of another clothing rack, and immediately blushing. Not because the rack held anything naughty(like that would've made her blush anyway), but because it held articles of clothing that she could _never_ see herself wearing, except for a few years ago, when she had that temporary lapse in sanity. She reached out and(shakily) curled her fingers around one of the items, then pulled it off the rack to look at it more fully. Were this a cartoon, she knew her mouth would probably look like some odd zigzag as her blush deepened from pink to red, it felt like a thousand eyes were all looking at her, waiting for her to make some humiliating decision... Challenging her to do it, expecting her to chicken out...

But Victoria Valentine was no chicken.

_Timmy's POV..._

"So, now that you're an accessory to theft, what else do you have planned for today?" Timmy's hat spoke up, now that he was free and clear from the presence of his evil babysitter.

"It's not like I planned that, Wanda." Timmy stated in mild annoyance as he walked through the mall proper. Sometimes he wished his godmother wouldn't try to act like his conscience, he had one of those already, and it constantly reminded him of his past mistakes, having someone else to do that, only much louder and naggier, was not on the brunet's wish list.

Then there was the fact that the fourteen year-old was currently walking through the Dimmsdale mall; a very crowded place with plenty of witnesses, while talking to his _hat_. He'd already be screwed if Crocker were around, but luckily, he could probably just play off that he had a bluetooth headset behind his rather long brown locks. And finally, maybe he could fall back on an even better(because it was partially true) argument: He was insane.

"Yet you still went along with it."

"As opposed to what, exactly? If I paid for the food, I probably wouldn't have had enough money to get presents for Vicki from myself, Chester and AJ. Besides, I seriously doubt that people sneak out of that restaurant through the vents really often, and I'm not gonna make a habit out of it, so why does it matter?"

"It was that kind of attitude that put you in this situation, don't forget that, Timmy. You feel bad for what you did to Vicki when you were ten, so here we find ourselves, with you trying your best to make up for something she doesn't even know you did. Now, you're adopting her way of thinking, steal from whoever, and take what you want..." She wasn't intending to sound chastising toward her godchild... In truth, she was merely worried about him. Making up to someone who treated him with little more than disdain on good days, and outright hatred on bad days, then him getting 'the talk' from her, and the odd feelings that she could sense from her godchild... Vicki wasn't quite trying to corrupt him or anything, but... The pink-haired fairy wasn't sure _what_ Timmy's once-evil babysitter was trying to do, all she did know was that... "Honey, I just want you to be careful and safe, all right? I understand making friends with Vicki, and even making sure she actually has a _happy_ birthday, but please promise me, and Cosmo, that you won't take it too far? Make sure you know the limits of what you should do. Even if it _is_ Vicki's birthday, you don't have to follow her orders and do things unquestioningly..."

Timmy sighed as his godmother finished. Of course she was worried about him, he understood that, and she probably understood that she sounded like a second conscience at times, but even so, she _was_ right. "I'm not... Letting Vicki talk me into anything... She deserves a good birthday, sure, but... I can't explain it... I want her to see me as... Trustworthy, I guess? I don't really know..." Timmy pinched the bridge of his nose and squinted his eyes closed.

Much to the brunet's annoyance, he was beginning to feel... a certain draw toward the red-head that he couldn't explain. She had tried with her talk of love and kissing and... Sex... But even her explanation of hormones didn't quite appease his thoughts. When he had grabbed her wrist earlier, he felt some kind of... weird spark. Kind of like static, only... Not. It somehow felt nice to hold his babysitter's hand- Well wrist, but still. The contact between them felt nice. It brought a sense of calm to the teen even as he felt his heartbeat quicken some.

"Timmy? You're about to-"

_THUD_

"Ack!" Timmy fell over upon crashing into one of the many support pillars dotted throughout the mall.

"Crash into a pillar..." Wanda deadpanned as Timmy picked himself, then her back up and returned her to on top of his head.

"Right. Um... I promise... What you said. Definitely... To both of you." Timmy remarked absently as he continued his journey through the mall, making Wanda roll her eyes. _"Gotta remember to watch where I'm going..."_ "So... what do you guys think I should get Vicki? It's gotta be... something she'll use, but... seem like gifts from Chester and AJ."

"What about you?" Hat-Wanda asked.

"What about me what?"

"What are you gonna get her?"

"I...'ve had my eye on something for a while..." A lie. He had _seen_ it in passing many months ago during a trip to the mall with his mother, and only now realized the gift was perfect for Vicki... Hopefully.

"And you're sure it's still here? What if it's been sold since you saw it?"

"I don't think it's unique or anything. Even if they _have_ sold it, I'm sure they'd have another to replace it... Maybe." Okay, he hadn't thought of that. The little necklace he was sure she'd like was pretty, and how was he to know if someone would've picked the thing up and bought it? And suppose it _was_ unique? Then what could he do? "Okay, worst case scenario, I might need you guys to wish it up, but hopefully it'll still be there."

"But! You can't wish for things like that! It's stealing!" Wanda exclaimed rather loudly, though Timmy's fellow mall-goers ignored his talking hat, thankfully.

He knew that was coming. "I meant for it to be in the store! Of course I'm going to buy it! Why else would I have dipped into my savings?" Timmy quieted down as he entered the familiar jewelery store and walked over to the counter, feeling a wave of relief come over him as he spied the cause of his mini mental breakdown.

Sitting in the counter's display case was a pink, square-cut gemstone on a silver chain. The same one he had seen before... or was it? He supposed it didn't matter. What _did_ matter was the price... For it had been marked down, from an even hundred to a far more affordable thirty. Not to say Timmy wouldn't have paid the full price for the necklace, but he couldn't help but inwardly smirk. Maybe the Fates had conspired in his favor for a change?

"Can I help you?" a rather bored-sounding voice shook him from his admiration of the small jewelery piece, and he turned his attention to its source as a magazine was lowered to reveal a blonde woman in... either her late teens or early twenties, probably not far from Vicki's age, if he had to guess. Her face matched her voice quite well, that is to say, bored, though her blue-gray eyes were vibrant, the eyes of someone who dislikes their job, but is probably more fun outside of work. Her hair was somewhat short, not quite reaching her shoulders, yet long enough in the front to cover her right eye, and she wore a plain, black t-shirt, pinned upon which was a nametag, revealing the girl's name as 'Heather'.

"Um... Hi." Timmy waved at the girl, who loudly popped her gum in response. "I was... hoping to purchase something?"

"Shocker." Heather deadpanned, then pulled out her gum and stuck it somewhere behind the counter. "You know what you want?"

"The... This one..." Timmy pointed out the piece he had been staring at, then returned his attention to the blonde woman. "Is the price tag on here correct?"

"Not like it'd matter if it wasn't." the woman shrugged, clearly not caring if she made a sale or not. "If it says thirty, I have to sell it to you for thirty, no exceptions." Heather walked over to where the aforementioned necklace was and slid a small door open to retrieve it, then took it out, removed the price tag, placed it in a small velvet box, and wrapped a small green ribbon around said box. "Thirty."

Timmy shot the girl a bemused look as he took the money out of his wallet. "How did you..."

"Hm? Know it was a gift? You're easy to read, no offense." Heather took the money and pocketed it.

"_She's allowed to do that?!" _"What do you mean... easy to read?"

"Well... You came in here and immediately locked on to this little thing, and... you've got the look about you." she slid the box over to him, sending it off the counter and into the brunet's waiting hands. "I hope she likes it."

"Um... Th-thank you!" Timmy blushed as he pocketed the little box and dashed out of the store.

"Hm." the blonde relaxed behind the counter and leaned on her elbow, while supporting her head with her hand. "To be young and in love..." She snickered at this, then sighed. "Teenagers..."

Timmy stopped at a pillar and leaned against it to catch his breath.

"Why did you run out of there like that?" Wanda spoke up.

"I... don't really... know..." the brunet spoke between gasps for air. Actually, he did. The apparently psychic girl freaked him out. And he had 'the look' about him? What on Earth did _that_ mean? "Okay..." Timmy sucked in a large breath of air and stood up straight. "Just need to get two more gifts from Chester and AJ now..."

"Any ideas for what you want to get her?"

"Well... Maybe-"

"Ooh!" Cosmo exclaimed, interrupting his way into the conversation. "Why not wish yourself into Gah again?! That way, you'd be a hunky Norwegian model, and it'd make Vicki happy!"

"...Cosmo, no." Timmy spoke plainly. "This is a gift from AJ to Vicki. AJ can't turn me into a Norwegian model, no matter how much science he has. Thank you for offering though. No... AJ would... he'd get her something practical, something she could use... C'mon, think like Brainiac..."

"Why not wish for it?" Again, Cosmo tried to help.

"Ahm... Probably not the best idea... I don't think my brain can handle thinking like a supercomputer... Oh! I've got it!" adjusting his backpack's shoulder strap, Timmy darted off deeper into the mall...

_At Timmy's house..._

Tootie released a sound somewhere between an 'Mm' and a whine as she separated her and Chester's lips from each other with a low smacking sound. "Hah... You're not a... very good listener..." the raven-haired girl looked down at Chester, who was now grinning quite confidently, likely because his hands were beneath her skirt... and halfway up her thighs.

"Sorry. Blood's goin' somewhere else. Somewhere not my ears."

"I had almost forgotten how much of a perv you are..." Tootie got off Chester and slid over to the other end of the couch to grab her glasses. "Now that we got _that_ out of our systems-"

"I didn't get anything out of my system... In fact, I think I got something _in_ my system..." the confident grin remained on the blond's face as he looked at Tootie.

The girl shook her head at this, but smirked as well. Some part of her brain kept telling her that they should... take things slow at first, maybe go on a date or two, have dinner, see a movie... Wait for her sister's consent... Yet Chester's sudden and completely unexpected kiss, coupled with him taking control(again, at first) had thrilled her. She found herself not caring about waiting, nor taking careful steps in the relationship. Here was a guy, a very close friend, who was very much willing to give her affection, and Tootie knew better than to pass up an opportunity being handed to her on a silver platter.

However, that _didn't_ mean she was about to go screwing around before Vicki even knew that she was in a relationship. Unlike Timmy(who she knew had paid no attention in class when their teacher went over... certain parts of the human anatomy), Tootie was well aware of the consequences of going too far too fast in a relationship. Fourteen was _not_ a desirable age to have kids at... Not to mention that she had a similar frame of mind to her sister when it came to sex. Make him work for it.

Temperance was key here.

"Then I suggest you endeavor to get it out of your system." Tootie stood up and pulled the curtains apart, illuminating the living room with the afternoon sun. "We've had a bit of fun, now we have to make sure everything goes off without a hitch."

"Can we have fun later?" Chester sat up and looked at Tootie excitedly, not unlike a dog whose master was holding a treat in front of it, though he kept his tongue in his mouth.

"I will... consider it." In truth, there was nothing for the raven-haired girl to consider. They _would_ have fun later, most definitely. And as long as she could control herself(and Chester could control _himself_) everything would be fine... Just... Fine.

"You wanna call them then?"

"What are you in such a rush for?" Tootie shot him an accusing look. "We don't even know when AJ and those two will be back, and Timmy needs to pick up gifts for my sister from himself, you, and AJ. Knowing Vicki, they'll be lucky to _not_ end up in jail by the end of the afternoon!" Tootie chuckled, finding the idea of her best friend and sister sharing a jail cell to be amusing.

"Well then... Maybe just check up on them to make sure neither one has ended up six feet under, courtesy of the other? I mean, Timmy's my best friend, so obviously I don't want anything to happen to him, but Vicki's your sister. I'd like to... be able to ask her if me and you is... Okay, y'know?" Chester rubbed the back of his head nervously, clearly on edge now that there was more blood rushing to his brain, rather than his 'head'.

"Isn't it a little late to ask her permission? We already made out, and you have trouble keeping your hands to yourself..." She hadn't pegged Chester to be all... Official like this. He was usually pretty laid back, but asking Vicki's permission to date her? "Would it really make you feel better if I called and checked up on them?"

"Yeah..." the blond replied sheepishly.

"Fine. I'll give Timmy a call." Tootie grabbed her phone and looked out the window, keeping an eye out for AJ and the two popular girls... _"They sure have been gone a while..."_

_Thump_

A light weight on her shoulder alerted her to the fact that her new boyfriend didn't have much comprehension of personal bubbles. _"And I just called Chester my boyfriend. Great."_ "Something wrong?"

"I just-" Chester stopped as Tootie's finger came to rest on his lips.

"It's ringing."

"What's up, Toots? Everything okay?" as he spoke, Timmy looked over a book he had gotten for Vicki, thinking it'd be the type of thing AJ would pick up for her... Considering he'd normally get her nothing.

"Um... You tell me? You two have been gone for a couple hours now... You both still alive?"

"Let me check." Timmy held the phone between his shoulder and head and checked his pulse. "Seems like it. And Vicki's off doing her own thing, so I'd guess that's she's fine... How are you and Chester doing?" Timmy grinned slyly as he wrapped the book in some colorful tissue paper he bought, following it with a green stick-on bow.

"Wha-What's that supposed to mean?! Chester and I are just fine! We're waiting for you to get back!" at this, Tootie felt Chester wrap his arms around her midsection, while keeping his head right where it was on her shoulder. The action made her glare at him, and mouth the word 'Stop!'

"Wasn't supposed to mean anything." Timmy shrugged to himself as he looked at the _other_ gift he had picked up, this one would be from Chester. A little-known fact was that the red-head liked video games, and had a particular interest in survival-horror, so Timmy grabbed exactly that. The only difficulty he had experienced had been in purchasing the game, since he was too young. Were it not for Wanda's intervention(pretending she was his mother), he probably wouldn't have been able to get her gift. He wrapped this one in differently colored tissue paper form the other, and gave it a different bow as well, then stuffed both into his backpack(Cosmo). "'Cept that a certain mutual friend told me you had the hots for him..." Timmy grinned evilly, realizing that for once, he was in the position that Vicki loved to be in. Teasing her sister and his friend.

"It isn't like that! I didn't- I mean, not at first! And Chester was just so... Just- Please don't tell Vicki! Please? Wait until you two get back from the mall, okay? I need to-"

Timmy leaned up against a pillar and stuck his hand in the air, making a motion like his hand was a sock puppet as Tootie rambled on needlessly. What did he have to gain by telling Vicki about Tootie and Chester? Truthfully, he was happy for his friends. Surprised by the turn of events? Sure, but happy. This meant Chester would finally stop trying to woo Trixie and Veronica(and complain to Timmy when his attempts failed), and it meant that Tootie... Well, had someone else to chase. Someone who might actually enjoy the raven-haired girl's advances. "Tootie."

"And that stuff in the closet? I'm serious. I'm over you... But! I don't want to stop being friends, either! I- ah... Um..." Tootie looked at Chester, hoping he'd back her up, only to find the blond trying to stifle a fit of giggles, earning him another glare, and a light elbow to the gut.

"_When did we go from talking about her and Chester to me and the stuff in her closet? I really need to pay attention to conversations more..."_ "Tootie. I'm not gonna tell Vicki anything. I know better than that. You forget you're talking to your best friend here? ...So is Chester behaving himself?"

"What are you? Her big brother or something?" the blond snatched Tootie's phone away, hearing Timmy's mocking remark, and began defending himself equally mockingly.

"So it's true then? Tootie and Chester are now... Tootie and Chester!" Timmy laughed at his poor attempt at a joke. "Ah... Seriously though, I'm happy for the two of you, really."

"So... we're cool then?"

"Why wouldn't we be?" Timmy asked absently as he pushed off the pillar with Vicki's bag I hand.

"Well... Because you and Tootie... And... Hey, don't look at me that way... I know what you said, but I just want to make sure Timmy's okay with it, okay? Huh? Yeah, I'll ask... Sorry about that dude, guess I'm just... covering my bases, y'know?"

"I give you full permission to date my sister." Timmy broke out into a full-blown grin.

"Huh?!" Chester held the phone away from his ear, giving it a _very _confused look.

"Sorry." again, Timmy laughed to himself. "Just had to take advantage of the big brother comment."

"Ha ha... Anyway, is Red- I mean, Vicki still with you? Tootie wanted to check in, make sure she's okay... Don't give me that look!"

"Ah... to be young and in love..." Timmy muttered to himself. "I left Vicki in JCPenny so she could... Shop? I think she's shopping... If not, she's likely stealing... Which might make this a very interesting mall outing indeed."

"You-you don't sound very worried about that... Are you feeling okay?"

Timmy noticed the concern in his blond friend's voice. "I'm alright, today has been... Odd. Nothing I can't handle though. We should be back... Um... Hopefully within the next hour or so, I'm gonna go see what Vicki's doing, then we should head out. Everything over there all set?" Timmy slowed his pace as he saw the JCPenny sign come into view.

"Hm? Oh... Yeah! No worries, dude! It's nothing extravagant, but I think Vicki should like it... You uh- You get that _thing_ I told you to get?"

"Yeah, I got your gift for Vicki, even managed to get something for- Or is it from...? Anyway, AJ won't get murdered either, so you're both good."

Chester breathed a sigh of relief as he walked over to the couch and sat down a bit closer than necessary to Tootie. "Thanks Timmy, I owe ya one."

"Eh, don't worry about it, you've already helped set up the party, and you're actually staying, despite knowing who the woman of the hour is, so we're good... I'm almost back at the store now, so I'll text you guys when we're on our way back, cool?"

"Yeah, alright. We'll see you when you get back, catch ya later." Chester hung up the phone and handed it back to Tootie.

"See? I told you they were fine." Tootie placed her phone on the endtable next to the couch.

"Alright, so you were right." Chester leaned into her, letting his head come to rest on her shoulder, mostly because he knew it would irk the girl.

"So... say Vicki doesn't give you permission... To... y'know... What then?" allowing herself to relax at last, Tootie leaned toward Chester, letting her head rest against his.

"Well..." the blond moved his hand up and interlaced his fingers with Tootie's. "Asking permission is just a... form... formal..."

"Formality?"

"Mm! That reminds me!" Chester moved his head up next to Tootie's, then planted a quick kiss on her cheek. "I love that big brain of yours too!"

"_L-love?!"_ Tootie mentally screamed as she blushed pink. "What- What do you think you're doing?!" Without pulling away(much as her body tried to will itself to), the bespectacled girl looked at Chester like he had just grown three heads.

"...Complimenting you?" the blond shot her a quizzical look. _"Did I... do something wrong?"_

"You can't just... throw around the 'L' word like that! We haven't even agreed to a relationship yet! And we're like fourteen! How can either one of us know about love?! I mean, I like you, I really like you, I think I might kind of... Maybe..." Tootie's once pink blush darkened to red, she was almost positive her glasses were fogging up, making her take them off once again and wipe them on her shirt. "So maybe I love you too!" at this, the fourteen year-old girl's eyes went wide as she slapped her hands over her mouth, knocking her glasses out of them and onto the floor. _"Did I really just say that?! Why would I- How can I be so stupid?!"_

"...I was just saying it in a kind of... Friendly sort of way... Like, you love your closest friends..." the blond looked away shyly now. He certainly hadn't expected to get a confession out of the girl... He hadn't even been trying to get one in the first place! And in all honesty... He wasn't all that surprised by her confession. This _was_, after all, the girl that once said her love for Timmy burned with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns... Apparently when she fell for someone, she fell hard and _fast_.

"Could... we maybe... forget about this little... thing?"

Chester looked at Tootie, like _really_ looked at her, and saw how terrified she suddenly was. _"Oh... I get it... She thinks I'm gonna get scared away by her saying she loves me... Even over something as simple as a little slip of the tongue?"_ Sliding forward on the couch, the blond pulled Tootie's hands away from her face and held them in his own, watching as the girl before him continued to look at him fearfully, like their relationship had already been completely destroyed.

And he smirked at her. "You're gonna have to try a lot harder than that to scare me off."

_Back at the mall..._

"Wonder if I should text her..." Timmy took out his phone as he wandered the clothing store he had left Vicki in. Despite her rather striking features, the brunet had yet to spot the birthday girl after about fifteen minutes of wandering the store. Not to say he was worried(okay, maybe a little), but he found himself hoping that she hadn't gotten caught trying to steal something...

"Dammit!"

Timmy stopped as he was passing a changing booth. The whispered curse that came from inside sounded suspiciously like-

"Why can't I find his number in here?!" Vicki sighed. "Because I've never had any reason to call him before now..."

"_Vicki?" _Timmy thought to himself. _"Why's she looking for me? And what could she need me for...?"_ Walking back over to the changing room door, Timmy knocked on it.

"Be out in a sec!" she was using that sugary facade again.

"Vicki? It's me, Timmy, are... you alright in there?" he frowned to himself slightly as he realized his voice sounded concerned. Surely she couldn't have hurt herself in the changing room?

"...I'm alright. I was... just looking for your number in my phone... Guess I don't have it..."

Timmy pulled his phone out of his pocket and began texting. Unlike the red-head in regards to his number, Timmy did indeed have Vicki's phone number in his phone.

_You do now._

A notification several seconds later indicated he had a text message.

_Smartass._

The brunet rolled his eyes and pocketed his phone as he leaned up against the door frame of the changing room. "So what'd you need?"

"Your eyes... And your opinion."

Timmy noted how the second part was a bit hesitant. "'Fraid I'm pretty attached to my eyes. And as for my opinion... On what, exactly?"

"I want to... Know how I look." she stopped and thought for several seconds. "Don't get me wrong, I know I look goddamn amazing, but I... want a second opinion. To be sure."

"...You're... not wearing anything... naughty, are you?" Timmy felt his cheeks heat up ever so slightly.

"No! You think you're getting a free show in the middle of a clothing store?!"

"No! I- I was just making sure..." Timmy looked away, feeling somewhat ashamed, mostly because if Vicki _had_ been wearing something naughty... He probably wouldn't have complained too much.

"You're a perv."

"I am not! ...What's a perv?"

Ignoring his question, the red-head continued. "And when I come out, you'd better not laugh at me!"

"No promises..." Timmy muttered under his breath.

"Huh?!"

"I said 'alright'! We really need to get back to my house for- I'm hungry." Timmy gave himself a mental pat on the back for his own quick thinking. _"Almost ruined the surprise..."_

"Too bad! Now..." shoving the changing room door open, Vicki stepped out and stood in front of Timmy, hands on her hips. "How do I look?"


	5. Surprise Indeed

A/N: Fair warning for this chapter, Veronica is probably super-OOC... That's all.

* * *

"Hah..." AJ sighed and looked at the stack of pizza boxes on the seat next to him. Currently, the African-American teen was riding in the limo with his two female companions, Trixie and Veronica.

Normally, this would be an amazing, once in a lifetime opportunity for him. Not one, but _two_ single girls? And he was alone with them, in a limo? Well, there was the driver, but he was busy.

"AJ? Something bothering you?" Veronica looked across the car at the teen, who she could tell was deep in thought.

"Hm? Oh... Nah, I'm good, thanks. Just... thinking..." They had been out for a bit longer than originally intended, mostly because Trixie and Veronica couldn't decide on which restaurant to go to. In that time, AJ had done what AJ did best: Observed. From what he could tell, Trixie was a tomboy. Deep down though, _very_ deep down, so well hidden in fact, that AJ wasn't even sure Veronica knew. Sure, she acted like the typical rich girl who was above everyone in public, but she had let a few things slip that the bald teen picked up on. Her like of a few video games that himself and his friends liked, as well as her mentioning of a few events in more recent Crimson Chin comics, for example.

As for Veronica, she was different in a whole other way. Besides the fact that she hadn't unnecessarily added the word 'like' into every sentence like she had back when they were ten, the girl was oddly perceptive. A complete aversion to the established stereotype of the blonde species of human. Case in point, her noticing his loud sigh just now, she could tell something was eating at him. _"Or am I just that obvious?"_

"Penny for your thoughts then?" Veronica pressed on. "Maybe... Oh! You're worried about Vicki, right?" the blonde bounced slightly, somehow knowing she was right. Or so she thought.

"Well... Yeah..." in truth, the bubbly girl was only half-right. He _was_ worried about what the red-headed she-devil might do to him on her birthday, but on the other hand, AJ found that his attempts to flirt with the two girls were being largely ignored. Veronica was clearly not interested, but he hadn't yet gotten much chance to talk to Trixie. "Who knows, maybe Tootie's right, maybe Vicki _has_ changed, and I'm worrying over nothing." AJ slumped his shoulders and looked at the floor of the limo. "I really do hope that is the case. It'd be nice to not have to live in fear of Vicki..."

"So... What if she hasn't?" Veronica glanced over at Trixie, who was somewhat animatedly talking to someone on her phone.

"Then she hasn't." AJ shrugged. "Myself, Chester, and Timmy have been dealing with the devil incarnate since we were eight. We- Or, I, at least, would be more unready for her being suddenly nice than for her to continue being mean." AJ put his arm in front of the pizza boxes to keep them from falling as the driver took a sharp turn. "That being said, you two shouldn't have anything to worry about, Vicki doesn't really know either of you, so I don't think she'll do anything to you or Trixie."

"But... what about you and Chester and Timmy? You can't really expect us to stand by and let her torture you three..." Veronica looked to Trixie for support, but the raven-haired girl clearly wasn't paying attention to the conversation.

"Um... I may have... exaggerated a bit. Vicki is... She's definitely mean, downright _evil_ at times, but she's never laid a hand on any of us, that includes torture. She just makes us do our chores, as well as the ones our parents intend for her to do, and she can fling some pretty harsh insults... I suppose my opinion of her is somewhat skewed toward hatred simply because I've never known differently. As I've gotten older, I have realized that Vicki isn't truly evil, just extremely unpleasant. At the same time, I'm not suicidal enough to want to psycho-analyze her, it takes a better mind to figure her out..."

"A better mind?" Veronica looked at him with clear amusement etched on her face. "AJ, everyone knows you're one of the smartest kids at Dimmsdale High..."

"Well... A less sane mind then." AJ relaxed into his seat. "Either way, I said I'd stick around for the birthday party, and I owe it to Timmy, Chester, and Tootie to keep my word."

"_And_ you're holding out for some small hope that all of us throwing Vicki a birthday party will make her lighten up, right?"

"Bingo." AJ nodded slightly. "So... you're... not really interested in me, are you?"

"Hm? Where's this coming from?" the blonde quirked an eyebrow up at AJ.

"Well... You two _do_ know you're the two most attractive female specimens in our school, right?"

"I'm sure Trixie thinks that's the case." Veronica remarked just a little bitterly. "There was a time where I strove to be more like her, y'know?" the blonde gestured at Trixie, who still hadn't picked up on the fact that the conversation had now shifted to being about her. "Lately, I've... I want to be seen as my own person. Trixie's still my best friend, don't get me wrong, but... Ugh... I don't even know why I'm telling you this... I want to... distinguish myself from her, I guess... I don't really know..." Veronica shot Trixie a weak smile, which went largely unnoticed.

"...You know... you still haven't answered my question..."

The blonde chuckled at that. "Sorry. No offense intended against you, but you're not really my type."

AJ glanced back and forth between Trixie and Veronica. _"Hm... Wonder if that lends credence to the rumors floating around school..." _"Mind if I ask another question then?"

"We've heard the rumors." Veronica deadpanned. "Despite the 'heavy'-" Veronica used air quotes. "-evidence to the contrary, I'm not a lesbian, you can quote me on that." the blonde then crossed her arms over her chest. "As for Trixie..." she glanced over at the girl once more. "She can speak for herself. I stopped letting her speak for me a while ago. Right Trixie?"

Apparently Veronica had perfect timing, for right as she finished talking, the raven-haired girl hung up her phone and pocketed it. "Hm? Sorry, I missed... Pretty much the whole conversation, what were you two talking about?"

"The rumors." Veronica stated rather uninterestedly.

"Oh." Trixie spoke with a hint of annoyance. "_Those _rumors... Really AJ? You think we're..." Trixie looked over at Veronica with a barely-there blush on her cheeks. "I mean... Don't get me wrong, we're really good friends, and I've told Veronica that if I _was_ a- ...Well." she giggled.

"You're not helping!" Veronica shot back just slightly defensively.

"Sorry!" Trixie smiled and put her hands up in defense, then began giggling some more. "I'm just saying, you'd be one Hell of a catch for some guy... Or girl." Trixie added mischievously.

"Not to change the subject, but I'm changing the subject." AJ spoke up, he hadn't intended to ask about the rumors anyway.

"Thank goodness." Veronica rolled her eyes.

"Actually, now that you're off the phone, I can ask you directly." the car's only male teen looked over at Trixie.

"Me? Okay, what's up?"

AJ found that, with Trixie looking at him so expectantly, his nerve left him for parts unknown. "Um..." _"Shit! What was I gonna ask again?!" _"I was wondering if you're... seeing anybody?"

As the limo came to a stop at a red light, the vehicle's interior went nearly silent. "Seeing... anybody?" Trixie looked at AJ quizzically. "What do you-"

"He's asking if you wanna go out with him." Veronica deadpanned, earning her a glare from the teen across from her. "What? You two were gonna beat around the bush all day if I didn't speak up! Not to mention, why else would you come with us?"

At this point, AJ wasn't quite sure of Veronica's motives; if she was trying to help or hinder him. "Well... Yeah. That's... where I was going with this..." he looked up at Trixie to find that she was... Quite shocked, as if her brain couldn't comprehend the information it had just received.

The blonde looked back and forth between AJ, who was now giving Trixie the expectant look, and her best friend, who was clearly having a blonde moment. _"Kind of ironic..."_ Veronica slid over next to Trixie and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "This is the part where you say: 'I'd love to!'" she pulled away as Trixie looked at her, an eyebrow quirked up in what could only be disbelief. "Just, y'know, FYI."

"H-huh?!"

"AJ, he's waiting for you to answer him." Veronica nodded towards the teen in question.

"Oh! U-um..."

"_Great, she's gonna turn me down like she used to back when we were ten..."_ AJ frowned and looked at the floor of the limo again.

Veronica took notice of this, and her own friend's nervousness, then lightly shoved Trixie's shoulder. "Go on!" she began whispering again. "He's into you, and he's matured since we were ten... Just... Make his day! What've you got to lose?" A little known(okay,_ unknown_) fact about Veronica was that the bubbly blonde was a hopeless romantic, and while she wasn't quite looking for love herself, she _did_ enjoy pairing people up, whether these people felt like a good match or not.

"You're... sure about this? You think... it might work?" Trixie whispered back, clearly nervous about her friend's suggestion.

"_What could they be talking about...?"_ AJ shifted his eyes back and forth between the two girls. He could tell that they were whispering about... something... But he couldn't read lips, and the limo's engine was _just slightly_ too loud for him to hear them.

At last, Trixie turned her attention over to AJ, a look of determination marred by a significant amount of uncertainty on her face. "Um! S-sure... You... Live right near where Veronica and I do, right?"

"Y-yeah!" AJ nodded excitedly.

"Okay! ...Um..." Trixie's eyes darted around as she tried to figure out what to say. "I-"

Veronica slapped her hand over the raven-haired girl's mouth. "Tomorrow. Her place. Eight o' clock. Night. Bring...?" the blonde looked at Trixie and pulled her hand away.

"Um... Flowers-?" Trixie began speaking again, only to have her mouth quickly re-covered.

"Bring flowers, got it?" Veronica looked at AJ expectantly, earning her another quick nod. "Good, everyone's happy... And we're back at Timmy's house!" the blonde once more pulled her hand away and giddily darted out of the limo after grabbing the pizza boxes.

"What-" AJ began, feeling so _very_ confused. "What just happened?"

"I'm... not really sure..." Trixie scratched her nose with her index finger. "Is... Veronica my pimp... or something?"

_Meanwhile, in the house..._

"I'm bored." Chester dropped his controller on the seat between himself and Tootie.

"You're just saying that because you're losing." Tootie stuck her tongue out at the blond. "And, correct me if I'm wrong, but _you_ were the one who suggested we play video games until AJ and the girls get back." she pointed at Chester accusingly.

"Well now I'm bored." Chester slid over the couch cushions, switching places with his controller and coming to rest next to Tootie.

"Uh-huh." Tootie finished the game by throwing Chester's character off the stage. "And how do you suppose you could alleviate your boredom- Ah! Hey!" the raven-haired girl watched Chester pull the controller from her grasp and attempted to retrieve it, with little success. "That's cheating!"

"You already won!" the blond teen shot back with a grin. "And, in answer to your question, this." snaking his arms around Tootie's waist, Chester re-oriented himself and Tootie so that they were both on laying on the couch; Tootie on her back, and the blond holding himself up over her with his arms.

Finding herself just _a little_ too shocked for words, Tootie looked towards the front door. "Wh-what if- Wasn't my promise of affection _after _the party good enough?!" She wasn't sure why she was whispering, it's not like anyone else was around to hear them.

"Nope. And since you beat me in the game, I have to get back at you somehow... This just seemed like the easiest course of action." Chester leaned down, leaving their faces a few centimeters apart. "_And_... If you weren't enjoying this... You'd have kicked me off by now..."

"_Note to self, when dating your best friend, don't think for a second there's anything you can hide from him." _Tootie thought to herself. She supposed in some weird, twisted way, the two had already technically dated, without the romantic feelings being between them, of course. Chester and her(along with Timmy and AJ) had hung out countless times in the past, not to mention sleeping over each others' houses, and spending pretty much all of their free time together. Maybe that was why he wasn't shy around her, they had gone through all the motions already... Yet she still found herself blushing like a fool whenever he pulled something like... Like what he was doing right now! "What if someone sees us?! You think Trixie and Veronica won't gossip about this to everyone in existence?!"

"Eh. They've been gone for a while, I'd say we've still got time." Ignoring Tootie's concern, Chester lowered himself the rest of the way, brushing his lips against Tootie's for just a second, then leaning a bit lower to press his lips to her neck, eliciting a barely audible whimper from the girl beneath him.

"_How does he know so much?! Ugh, who am I kidding? He and AJ probably look up all sorts of weird things on the Internet!" _"Ah!" Tootie yelped as she felt the blond nip at her neck. "Son of a-..." she gasped out. "You're a perv..."

Chester pulled away and grinned at her. "Yeah, I can admit to that." The blond began leaning down again...

_CLICK_

Just in time for the front door to be unlocked and swung open by Veronica, carrying a large stack of pizzas. "Hey guys, we're back! ...Um..." the blonde's eyes fell on Tootie and Chester, both of whom were still in a _very _compromising position, and now gazed at the Veronica with wide eyes. Though Tootie looked significantly more perturbed than the boy on top of her.

"Hey Veronica." Chester stated rather plainly as he waved at the girl.

"O-kay..." calmly placing the pizza boxes down on the floor, Veronica slammed the front door shut and leaned up against it, making sure to re-lock it for good measure. After a moment's thought, the blonde looked at her two fellow teens with a devious smirk and half-lidded eyes. "This day just keeps getting more and more interesting..." she muttered to herself as she shook her head.

"I told you this would happen..." Tootie whispered to Chester..

"Well..." Chester began in an equally low voice. "It's just Veronica, I'm sure if we ask nicely, she won't tell anyone... What's it matter anyway? People are gonna know eventually... Why not-"

"Because _I_ want to tell people! Vicki, at the very least... You know how these two are when it comes to gossip..." Tootie was beginning to sound anxious... And worried.

"You're paranoid." the blond pushed himself up and off Tootie, returning to a sitting position on the couch next to the raven-haired girl, who followed suit shortly after.

"Um... Could you maybe-" Tootie began while tapping her index fingers together.

"So you two, huh? Gotta say, with how often you-" Veronica pointed at Chester. "Try to flirt with me, it thought for sure that... well, that you had a thing for me. But this makes more sense. I mean, dating a childhood friend? You both already know what the other likes, you're both comfortable around each other..."

"T-to be fair... I don't think he's completely over you..." Tootie was _quite_ aware of the fact that Chester liked her, but they had both insinuated that they weren't over their previous crushes... Which brought a whole new worry to the forefront of Tootie's mind. Would Veronica make Chester choose between herself and Tootie? _"Would he choose me over her? ...No! Not gonna happen! I'm-!"_ "Okay, I don't know your game here-" Tootie stood up and strode over to Veronica. "But you had your chance, and you blew it, so back off, he's mine!" Upon finishing her speech, the raven-haired girl realized two things: One, Veronica was slightly taller than her, and two, she had managed to get right in the aforementioned blonde's face.

Feeling just a little uneasy due to their closeness, Veronica took a step back from the bespectacled girl, though she remained leaning on the front door. With the blonde being under the assumption that Tootie likely had a dangerous temper in common with her sister, she began speaking in a manner that could probably be described as 'appeasing'. "I um... I wasn't gonna try to steal him from you..." much in the same way Trixie had, Veronica put her hands up in defense.

"You- You weren't? ...Oh..." Tootie took a few steps back to give the blonde some room. "Then... What were you gonna do?"

"Um... Congratulate the two of you?"

"Oh. Sorry I-... Yeah..." _"Right... I forgot that these two are... Great, I probably look like a psycho now..."_ "Can you maybe... Keep me and Chester, and this little... misunderstanding under your hat then? Please?"

Seeing the girl who had seemed ready to kill her suddenly become unsure and nervous in only a few seconds made Veronica relax, now that her life no longer seemed to be in danger. "Don't um... Don't worry about it. Actually..." feeling confident again, the blonde felt an idea come to her. "What's it worth to you?"

As if on cue, the three teens in the living room heard the door of the limo shut, indicating that Trixie and AJ were about to enter. Tootie glanced out the front door's window, then over to the blonde girl, who now bore a grin that was eerily similar to the ones Chester liked to shoot her. Feeling all her confidence blow away like leaves in the wind(not like she could get away with murdering Veronica with this many witnesses), Tootie opted for a much more dignified action. "Please just keep this to yourself! I- We'll do anything!"

"How did I-" Chester began.

"Shush! This is your fault!" the raven-haired growled out at the blond, then turned her attention back to Veronica. "Eh?"

"_Wow. She _is_ paranoid... But what could I possibly want from them...? Guess I'll have plenty of time to think about it..."_ "Alright fine. Secret's safe. For now." Reaching past Tootie's head, Veronica unlocked the front door and gestured for Tootie to move before opening it for Trixie and AJ. "So! I guess we're all here now, huh?" she asked in a bubbly tone as the two came into the house.

"Um... Yeah..." Tootie began as she grabbed the pizza boxes and handed a few off to Chester. "Just gotta wait for Timmy and Vicki to get back and we can have this birthday party." she quickly scurried into the living room, followed by Chester.

AJ took the opportunity to look around the living room, seeing the disheveled appearance of the couch cushions, and seemingly forgotten video game controllers, he couldn't help but notice a certain... "Feel a little tense in here to you?"

"I don't feel anything." Trixie shrugged.

"Ah, Chester and Tootie were playing games, I think he's mad because he got distracted by my walking in so suddenly." Veronica placed the borrowed front door key on the endtable next to the couch.

"Yeah, that sounds like him..." AJ smirked and shook his head back and forth as he went into the kitchen with his two friends.

"So what else is going on? You seem happy?" Trixie turned her attention to her blonde friend.

"Me? I'm just happy you're giving AJ a shot, that's all."

Trixie giggled. "Not like you gave either of us much choice..."

"Sometimes people just need a push in the right direction. And what kind of friend would I be if I didn't help you out now and then?"

"Well... I'm glad we're friends then!" Trixie stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Veronica.

"Aw... Me too!"

_At the mall..._

Timmy looked the red-head up and down. He was absolutely _dumbfounded_ by her choice of attire. What on Earth would possess the normally abrasive, tomboyish girl with the most fiery personality he knew to wear such a thing of her own volition? He hadn't wished her into being nice... No, he hadn't done anything remotely close to that, because he was doing his utmost to turn over a new leaf, since she was trying to do the same.

He looked down, noticing her legs, and how pale they looked, a testament to how rarely she wore anything besides her black-colored jeans, his gaze shifted a bit lower, now to her feet. She still wore her black sneakers, but Timmy hadn't realized back in the restaurant how short her black socks were, they just _barely_ made it past her ankles. Following her legs(which were somehow more interesting now that they were bare) back up, Timmy came upon the article of clothing that he was sure the red-head actually wanted an opinion on. In keeping with what he assumed to be her favorite color, it was a lime-green colored... _Dress_, reaching about midway past her knees. It wasn't quite... frilly, like the one he had seen her in a few years back, nor was it poofy. The dress actually fit her rather well... Okay, _very_ well.

"Okay, generally ten minutes of awkward silence is my limit." Vicki tugged absently at the dress's right shoulder. "Tell me what you think!" she raised her voice slightly, and must've felt embarrassed, for her cheeks turned a light shade of pink under Timmy's scrutinizing gaze.

Averting his gaze from her body to her face, the brunet picked up on her discomposure... _"She- She's embarrassed? Really?!"_ "Heheh... Aha... Haha-Whoa?!" Timmy's fit of laughter was cut short as Vicki's fingers curled around his shirt collar and yanked him into the changing room with her, shutting the door to give them both some privacy.

"Zip your shit or I'll break your neck!" she whispered harshly as she pulled Timmy forward so he was right in her face. Had he not been close to her height, she'd probably be holding him up off the ground by now. "What did I say?!" her blush had gone from light pink to clear and obvious crimson. It took a lot for her to put on a damn dress, to actually go through with it, and the Twerp was laughing at her?!

"Um... To zip my shit or you'd-" Timmy started.

"Before that!" only for his babysitter to interrupt him. "I said you'd better not laugh at me, didn't I?!"

"Well... Yeah... But I wasn't laughing at you... Not really." Timmy looked away, feeling ashamed, and a little embarrassed. "Just... didn't expect you to wear a dress... And you were blushing, caught me off guard." the brunet looked at Vicki with a smile and closed eyes. "Sorry!"

"Then why are you smiling?" her grip slackened, though only slightly. "And... how do I look? ...Honestly." Rather than cover her whole face, the blush now shrank down to a reddish dusting on just her cheeks.

"I'm... smiling?" Timmy asked, and quickly realized that yes, he _was_ indeed smiling. "Huh... I dunno." he shrugged, allowing Vicki to release him. Why was he smiling? Well, obviously, you smiled when something was funny, and he _had_ been laughing until a few seconds ago, but having someone threaten to break your neck wasn't exactly a laughing matter... Was he maybe just happy to see her? Was it _odd_ for him to be happy to see her, assuming he was?

"You don't know why you're smiling...?" Vicki looked at him quizzically. "Okay... Then just answer the second one."

Right. How did she look. How _did_ she look? She looked... Good. Really good. By simply wearing a dress, Icky Vicki had become... Nowhere near Icky. And though her hair remained in a ponytail, seeing her change out of her tomboyish outfit made Timmy feel... Nervous. She was pretty, and he supposed 'cute', when she was blushing. "Uh... You look nice?"

"Nice? What is this, kindergarten? Try a bit harder than that, Twerp. If I wanted to be told I look nice, I'd ask a toddler..." Vicki stopped and thought, looking away as she did, before refocusing her gaze on the brunet in front of her with a devilish smile. "Tell me I'm pretty."

"_What is she trying to do? Why ask me to tell her _that_?"_ Timmy was suddenly reminded of the time that he wished everyone out of the world except Trixie and himself.

"_Tell me I'm pretty!"_

The memory made the poor brunet's spine shiver and his skin crawl. _"Does she _know _I think she's...!_" Since falling out of the vent with Vicki, Timmy felt like his feelings were heavily conflicted, to the point that he was well beyond confused. No longer was he under the impression that this... whatever it was, was just hormones. The girl- _Woman_, had cast some sort of spell on him... Or something of the like, how else could it be explained? And with the existence of fairy godparents, the possibility of this idea being the case was building on itself. So... Was it more intelligent to play along, to tell her she was pretty, like she wanted to hear? ...Better question, would the red-head let him live it down if he told her she was pretty? What did he have to lose by telling her she was? _"What do I have to _gain_? ...Wait. What?"_ Again, his thoughts saw fit to leave him more and more confused...

Vicki sighed, seeing that Timmy wasn't going to answer her. "Forget it. I suppose it doesn't really matter anyway..." she backed off, ready to move away from the brunet and let him out of the dressing room.

"You-" Timmy began, but seemed to stop and think. "You're pretty... Like, _really_ pretty." he knew his face was probably beet-red now, but he saw the hurt on her face when she thought he would stay silent, and dammit was he too nice for his own good!

"_Really_? Hm. I- Thank you." Vicki chuckled and leaned over so she was eye-level with the brunet. "Looks like my Twerpy Tin-man has a spine after all." Placing her right hand on his shoulder, Vicki leaned even closer and pressed her lips to Timmy's cheek. "You should probably go out so I can change..." she whispered as she pulled away. "Unless...?"

Ignoring the fact that her little analogy just now made absolutely no sense, Timmy stuck his right hand in the air in front of himself, index finger extended, then proceeded to rear back and slap himself across the face. _Hard_. _"__Nope. Not a dream. That just happened."_ "I should go." the brunet spoke almost robotically as he moved to the changing room door and opened it, then stepped out and closed it behind him.

For a second, Vicki wasn't sure how to react to Timmy's act of hitting himself, nor his expressionless face. "Hm." Was about all she could come up with as she took off the dress and put it back on the hanger, then pulled her black jeans back on, followed by her green shirt. "Well, guess I'll be getting this."

A few minutes later, the dress was paid for, Timmy had collected himself(for the most part), and the two were headed for the mall entrance, Vicki's relatively low-key lust for shopping having been sated. "End up finding what you were looking for?" Timmy asked, now feeling comfortable enough to talk to the red-head after a good twenty minutes of silence.

"Got this, didn't I?" she held up the bag containing her dress for effect. "Not to mention the stuff in that bag." she pointed to the neon pink bag Timmy held. "Am I to assume you were able to find me a suitable birthday gift?"

"I'd say so."

"So what'd you get me?"

"Nice try." the brunet rolled his eyes as he opened the door to Vicki's car and got in. "Sorry, you'll have to wait until we get back to my house before you can have it."

"And why's that?" she got into the driver's seat and tossed the bag containing her dress into the backseat. "It _is_ my birthday, I should be able to receive my gifts now, since I'm clearly not getting a party."

"Are... you alright with that?" _"Gotta tread carefully here, don't need to go revealing anything..."_

"That's how it's always been. I'll admit, I was a little torn up this morning, since Tootie forgot, but... I've had worse birthdays. You... Today was nice. And I think I showed my appreciation pretty clearly in the store."

"Uhm... Yeah... About that..." Timmy felt his cheeks beginning to heat up again.

"Let me guess, you wanna know why, right?" Vicki glanced over at him as she buckled her seatbelt.

"Kinda..." the brunet mimicked the action of his babysitter, realizing that, while he pretty much always buckled up when he drove in a car with Vicki, this was the first time she had done it.

"You tell me."

"Huh?!" _"What is _that_ supposed to mean? How should I know why you did it?!" _Timmy mentally screamed. _Now_ would be a _really_ good time to have psychic powers. He had no idea why his evil-turned-indifferent babysitter would kiss him on the cheek! Was she attempting some new form of torture? Had she slipped off the deep end at some point while in JCPenny? ...Did she maybe... _like_ him?!

"Why do you _think_ I did it?" she started the car and pulled out of her parking space, beginning the relatively short drive back to their neighborhood.

"To torture me?" He went with his gut, rather than wild guessing.

"Heheh... I'll admit, that was part of it. 'Cept you didn't react the way I expected you to... By the way, your cheek alright?" Her own voice sounded... indifferent to her ears. Not good. Her intention was to at least _sound_ concerned... _"Something I'll have to work on..."_

Up until her mentioning it, Timmy hadn't noticed any pain in his cheek, but now that she had, he realized that, yes, it did sting quite a bit, and he'd probably left a big red handprint on his face. He pulled the visor down and looked in the mirror to find that he did. "-Sigh- In hindsight, that probably wasn't a good idea..."

"Watch, your friends'll think _I_ hit you."

"I'll make sure to clear it up." the brunet flipped the visor back up. "So why did you..."

"Kiss you on the cheek? Because I've thanked you with my words enough today. You know how apologies lose their weight when you apologize really often? Gratitude's the same way... In my opinion. I could say 'Thank You' 'til I'm blue in the face, but eventually, it'll just seem like I'm going through the motions that you expect. What you've done for me today, that takes character, just like all the times you've saved my ass from a potentially messy death."

Needless to say, Timmy was shocked. This was... A real, sincere, and genuine speech she was giving. She wasn't hesitating, like the act of apologizing or showing gratitude was difficult for her... And he couldn't understand it, not one bit. What had changed between them? Why had he been happy to see her in the store? Why was his previously icky babysitter now pretty, even without wearing a dress? Why did she make him feel the way he did around Trixie when he was ten? Why didn't he have any answers?! "I don't understand..."

"Think about it later then." Vicki remarked absently as she pulled into Timmy's driveway.

How did they get back so quick? Or... had he just been that lost in thought for that long? The younger teen heard a low buzzing sound, and for once, it wasn't coming from his phone.

"You go ahead, it's your parents. I'll just be a sec."

Timmy nodded and grabbed the bag containing her dress, along with the bright pink one that contained...

Shaking his head to clear it of the more naughty thoughts once more, the brunet got out of the car and made his way over to the front door, only to realize that he had forgotten the welcome mat key in the house, and his own in his room. With a sigh, he sat down on his front porch and watched as the red-head got out of her car.

"Of course, Mrs. Turner! I can stay over for a few days while you two go play slots! No, it's no trouble at all, I love keeping an eye on my favorite little angel! Alright, we'll see you two Sunday night, buh-bye!"

Timmy instinctively cringed at her sugar-coated facade. Didn't matter how pretty he thought she was, that voice got on his nerves. "You're getting pretty good at that."

"I _may_ have had aspirations of acting when I was a bit younger. Guess who's sleeping over your house for a few days?"

"Chip Skylark?!" Timmy exclaimed with mock-enthusiasm.

"Close! It's me, Smartass." Vicki deadpanned. "Why are you out here anyway? Don't you have a key? ...Or were you just waiting for your favorite babysitter?" she smirked at him knowingly.

"Forgot my key."

"You'd forget your head if it weren't screwed on so tight..." the red-head shook her head back and forth. "Move over, your parents gave me a spare."

Thinking he probably should have texted Tootie to let her know they were back, Timmy hoped that his friends had noticed their return as Vicki unlocked the door and swung it open. "Huh... Did you close the blinds when we left?" the red-head looked back at Timmy questioningly as he followed her into the darkened house.

"Hm? No, I think someone here must've closed them after we left because-" Timmy flipped on the light switch.

"SURPRISE!" Chester, AJ, Tootie, Veronica, and Trixie shouted in unison as the lights came on. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, VICKI!" Timmy joined in this time as well. The brunet watched as their collective yell made the birthday girl jump slightly... Then quickly calm down.

"_Knowing her, she's gonna play this off like she expected it all along-" _the brunet was cut off immediately as he was swept into a hug by his babysitter, completely averting his expectations.

"Guess I still owe you quite a bit, huh Twerp?" she whispered in his ear sultrily.

"Um... No, that's- That's alright, I-"

Before he could finish, Vicki pulled away. "So, who gets credit for this idea, hm?"

"Oh!" Veronica chimed in. "This was Tootie and Timmy's idea! They called us up to help out!"

"...And you are...?"

"Um... I'm Veronica, and this is Trixie." the blonde gestured over to the girl in question. "We're Timmy and Tootie's friends. Nice to meet you?" the girl who was normally so bubbly spoke carefully, hoping that AJ was right, that Vicki wouldn't target herself and Trixie with aggression, and trying her best to speak over her fear of this woman.

"Same here!" and with that, the facade was back, not like Timmy, Chester, AJ, and Tootie were surprised, Vicki didn't know these two girls, so of course she'd act amicable around them.

"C'mon, Sis!" without warning, Tootie darted over to Vicki and grabbed her sister's hand. "You gotta blow out your candles!"

"Great, now everyone's gonna know I'm old..." the red-head spoke with mock-annoyance as she allowed the raven-haired girl to pull her through the living room and into the kitchen.

"So, now that that's outta the way, I'm gonna head out." AJ spoke as he patted his pink hat-wearing friend on the shoulder and walked past him.

"Don't suppose I could talk you into staying until you gave Vicki this?" reaching into his bag, Timmy produced his gifts that he picked up for Chester and AJ to give to Vicki.

"Timmy, I really need to get going..." the bald teen whispered, hoping he could get out and avoid spending more time around Vicki than necessary.

"He's gotta go get ready for his date tomorrow!" once more, Veronica chimed in.

"With who?" Timmy looked back and forth between AJ and Veronica skeptically.

"This lucky lady!" the blonde pulled Trixie over and put her arm around her shoulders.

"Oh really?" the brunet quirked an eyebrow up at his friend, clearly not convinced.

"It's um... It's true." Trixie nodded in confirmation.

"Really?" Timmy asked, amazed(and still disbelieving) that his friend had actually succeeded in doing what he couldn't, despite spending the better part of five years trying. "Huh... Well good for you two! I'm happy for you, dude!" the teen returned his friend's earlier gesture and patted AJ on the shoulder. "Alright, if you really wanna go, I can't stop you, but you owe me then, got it?"

"Fine, fine... Look, it's nothing against you, just-"

"Yeah, I know. I don't exactly expect us all to forget about what she used to do... And you've gone _way_ beyond what I have any real right to ask anyway. See you Monday?"

"Yeah, you make sure she knows that's from me now." AJ gestured at the gift.

"I got it, no worries." Timmy watched AJ head out, then turned his attention to his remaining companions. "Anyone else? Now's your chance."

"You kidding? I haven't been to any parties besides my own and Trixie's in ages! No way, you're stuck with me." Veronica spoke up, then turned her attention to Trixie. "Trixie? How 'bout you?"

"Well... AJ's not coming over until tomorrow... Um... I'll stay for a little bit longer, if you're okay with it?"

"_Why does she sound so... Unsure? Could she be worried about me being mad that AJ won her over so quickly, while I didn't?" _"Hey, if you wanna stay, that's cool. The more the merrier, right?"

"Damn right!" Chester spoke up. "Now c'mon! I don't wanna miss Vicki's face when we sing her-"

"Aw, c'mon! Why don't you want us to sing 'Happy Birthday'?" the teens heard Tootie ask from the kitchen, clear disappointment evident in her tone.

"Because I'm fairly certain that everyone else here wants to _keep_ their vocal cords, being that they're pretty attached to them." Vicki stated matter-of-factly.

"She's um... She's kidding, right?" Veronica whispered to Timmy.

"Probably? Let's go with probably." Timmy moved toward the doorway to the kitchen, only to be yanked back by his blond friend, which went unnoticed by Trixie and Veronica, who _did_ make it to the kitchen.

"What's up?" Timmy spun around. "Y'know besides your relationship status with Tootie-Mmph!" The brunet found himself cut off by Chester's hand on his mouth.

"Shush!" Looking past his friend and seeing that they were still alone, the blond teen continued, now with a sly grin. "So, ya like that hug from Red?"

"_Crap, time for him to get back at me."_ "Red?" Timmy chuckled at his friend's mildly affectionate nickname for their babysitter. "You mean Vicki?"

"No, I mean the Easter Bunny." Chester deadpanned. "Yes, Vicki! What exactly happened at the mall, huh?"

"Shopping." Timmy shot back in an equally deadpanning tone.

"And what else? What did you do to make her hug you in the first place, nevermind in front of all of us?"

"She's... just really happy we're throwing her a birthday party? You do realize she's _never_ had one, right?"

"Hm..." Chester looked at Timmy, still not totally convinced. "I think you've got a thing for her. Or maybe... she's got a thing for you." he stated rather smugly.

"Oh? I think you've lost your mind. You think _Vicki_ likes me?" the brunet shot his friend a look that suggested the blond had just grown three heads. "Based on a hug?"

"How many people has our favorite red-head hugged in her existence? There's Tootie, _maybe_. And there's you, just now. So...?"

Timmy was immensely glad that he had never told his friend about the avalanche incident. "Th-that's hardly proof of anything!" he blushed.

Chester shook his head at how obvious his friend made himself. "Hey, I'm not judging. If she wasn't so crazy-evil, she'd be a pretty fine lady... But maybe bad girls are your thing, huh?" the blond smirked at his friend.

"You're out of your mind." Timmy played his friend's suspicions off as a joke, seeing that it was his only real option. "I do _not_ like Vicki, understand? It's just... hormones."

"Sure it is, dude. Sure it is."

Knowing that his friend wasn't convinced, Timmy spun him around to face the door to the kitchen. "C'mon Sherlock, let's have some cake."

"Whatever you say, Watson." Chester rolled his eyes.


	6. Have Your Cake

Vicki looked around the table at the five seated teens. Her narrowed eyes a threat of murder should anyone even _think_ about singing 'Happy Birthday'. She inhaled-

"Oh! AJ had a... Doctor's appointment to get to, so he couldn't stay, but he gave me his present that he was gonna give you." Timmy spoke up and held AJ's gift in the air.

At this interruption, Vicki exhaled upward, sending her breath into her bangs, making them blow up slightly. She could tell that was a lie, but of course the Twerp would cover for his friend. "Ah, just leave it on the table, I'll open it after the cake." she smiled sweetly, keeping up her favorite facade in front of Trixie and Veronica. She inhaled again-

"Happy-"

_Smack_

Averting her eyes from the cake and exhaling in annoyance again, Vicki's gaze fell on Chester, whose mouth was now covered by her sister's hand. _"Of all the people to cover his mouth..."_ the red-head inwardly smirked. _"And here I thought he'd have a thing for blonde girl... Or... Veronica, __that's her name, right?" _"Something wrong?"

"Ah...! Nope! Just keeping Chester from singing, I'd prefer you not murder my best friend!" Tootie giggled nervously. "Please?"

"Sis... You're such a kidder!" Vicki waved off Tootie's comment. "Remind me to ask you something later though, 'kay?"

The bespectacled girl audibly gulped as her older sister smiled at her. Vicki's smiles _always_ meant trouble. "Heheh... Yeah... sure, Vicki..." _"I'm dead."_

Vicki looked around the table once more, expecting another interruption, but after nearly a minute of silence, sucked in a breath, and quickly blew out the candles before said interruption could occur. "Good, nobody sang."

"So... Presents?" Chester piped in.

"_After_ the cake, Chester." she nearly laughed at the surprise on the blond's face, that was probably the first time she had actually used his real name, rather than 'Braces' or 'Blondie'. "You that eager to see what I got?"

"Actually, I'm more interested in seeing what everyone else got you." getting over his shock, the blond remarked rather confidently, knowing that he, at the very least, was safe from her wrath, thanks to Timmy.

"Well, you'll just have to wait a little longer. Knife?" Vicki glanced around the table, and was met with some very confused(and likely concerned) looks. "To cut the cake? I need a knife... Unless you all just want to eat it with your hands like a bunch of animals?"

Shifting his gaze between the members of his small group of friends and seeing that no one was about to get the red-head her requested utensil, Timmy rolled his eyes, realizing that AJ had succeeded in putting the fear of Vicki into Trixie and Veronica. "I'll get it." The brunet stood up and opened the silverware drawer, took out one of the many butter knives, then walked over to Vicki and handed it to her.

"Thanks, Timmy!" again, she smiled at him sweetly, and he felt his heartbeat quicken slightly.

"Uh-huh..." Feeling uncomfortable all over again, Timmy quickly glanced over at the door to the living room. "I need to go grab something from my room... Someone else mind taking over to hand out slices of cake?"

"You go ahead, I'll make sure to cut you a slice." Vicki spoke up and nodded her head towards the door she knew the brunet was looking at.

Sighing in relief, Timmy half-walked, half-bolted out of the kitchen, through the living room, tossing the gifts meant to be from Chester and AJ onto the coffee table, and up the stairs, throwing his bedroom door open as he reached it and shutting it behind him. "Why does she do this to me?!" he harshly whispered out and tried to calm his racing heart as Cosmo and Wanda returned to their fairy forms.

"Because she's a girl!" the green-haired fairy exclaimed.

"No, that can't be it. She... she must've cast some kind of spell, right? Wanda, you and Cosmo are magic, can't you sense that sort of thing?" he _needed_ an explanation now. The spark he felt when he grabbed her wrist, the stuff the jewelery store owner said, kissing his cheek, and now the hug in front of all his friends? "She... she really _is_ a witch, right? That's how she's making all this stuff happen to me, right?"

Seeing how desperate her godchild was, Wanda stuck her wand in the air, making it emit a beep every few seconds. "Timmy, this might take a little while. Mind coming back in an hour or two?"

"Really?" Timmy asked in disappointment. "There's no way you can, like rush it or something?"

"Not if you want to be sure. Sweetie, it'll be fine. Just try to have a good time, and if Vicki did cast some kind of spell, we'll find some way to deal with it, okay?"

"A-alright, thanks..." Leaving his godparents in his room, the brunet left and shut the door behind him.

In truth, the pink-haired fairy was almost positive there wasn't any form of magic at work, but thought it might be better to humor Timmy, rather than just come right out and say what was really on her mind. "Cosmo, I think... you might be right." Wanda lowered her wand now that Timmy had left, knowing for sure that there wasn't any 'magic' at work.

"Really?! I am?!" Cosmo looked at his wife in genuine disbelief. "You mean... I'm on a roll today?!"

"Shocking as it is, yes Honey. Timmy seems to be feeling the way he is because Vicki's... Well, a girl." Wanda shrugged.

"So why not tell him?"

"Timmy may be our godchild, but we can't just hand him answers all the time. Like us, humans need to figure some things out on their own, and this is_ definitely_ something Timmy has to figure out himself. He can't depend on us to solve _all_ his problems."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Then I'm sure Vicki will help him along." Assuming that Timmy likely wouldn't be back for a while, Wanda poofed herself and Cosmo back into their fishbowl to wait and see how the rest of the day would unfold...

Timmy pinched the bridge of his nose as he walked through the living room. "A couple hours... What am I supposed to do for a couple hours?" The brunet made his way toward the kitchen door, only for it to swing open as Trixie and Veronica came through.

The raven-haired girl spoke up first as she got over the shock of nearly running into Timmy. "Oh! Hey Timmy. I wanted to thank you for inviting us before we headed out!" she smiled at him cutely, and for a split-second, Timmy nearly forgot about how crazy the girl really was.

"Headed out? You're leaving already?" he knew he probably sounded disappointed, but they hadn't really been there that long. "You two really have to go?"

"Yeah... My mom needs me to keep an eye on the house while she and my dad go out tonight, and it's getting kinda late anyway."

At this, Timmy looked out the living room's picture window, seeing the early signs of twilight coming over his neighborhood.

"And Trixie's my ride, so..." Veronica spoke up now. "Mind if we take a few pizzas with us?"

"Of course, you guys _did_ buy them, thanks for helping Tootie set things up... and for the pizza."

"Anytime! We should all hang out more often!" Trixie exclaimed happily as Veronica grabbed a couple of the pizza boxes.

"_Not sure how keen Tootie would be on that idea..."_ "Definitely." Timmy nodded and followed the two girls to the door to see them out, then shut the door and turned around to find Chester grinning at him slyly. _"I do not like that grin." _"Okay, what's up?"

"Not much." the blond glanced out of the corner of his eye at Tootie, who sat down on the couch and looked over Vicki's gifts, then turned his attention back to Timmy. "Just thought you might wanna know that Vicki's alone in the kitchen." Chester winked at his friend, earning him an annoyed glare.

Timmy wasn't a rocket scientist, but he didn't need to be one to know what Chester was doing. "Do me a favor?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up." the brunet deadpanned as he walked past his friend and into the kitchen, doing his best to ignore the fit of giggles coming from the blond.

"What's so funny anyway?" Tootie asked as she placed Chester's gift back down on the table and the teen moved to sit down next to her on the couch.

"What? You haven't noticed the sexual tension between your sister and Timmy?" Chester jabbed his thumb toward the door separating the kitchen and living room.

"S-sexual tension?! What are you talking about?!" Tootie nearly screamed in disbelief as her glasses slid down her nose.

"Shh!" the blond mimicked Tootie's earlier action and covered her mouth with his hand, then began giggling once more. "You seriously haven't noticed it?"

Tootie, mouth still covered, raised an eyebrow at her friend.

"Oh, sorry." Chester pulled his hand away to let the raven-haired girl talk.

"What makes you think there's _anything_ between them?" Tootie lowered her voice to a whisper.

"Well, there was that hug." Chester stated like it was an obvious fact. "Does Vicki even hug _you_?"

"I... She's... hugged me... Of course she's hugged me, she's my sister!" She opted to leave out the fact that Vicki hugged her _very _rarely.

"Okay fine. But do you know anyone else she's hugged?"

"No... But that doesn't mean-"

"And Timmy's been acting pretty strange since they got back from the mall. I think something's goin' on, just saying." Chester rubbed his chin in thought.

"Something like what?! She's almost six years older than him! You don't honestly think that those two have... _feelings_ for each other, do you?" she hadn't meant to sound disgusted, unlike earlier that morning, where she very much was disgusted by the idea, but this was... Her best friend and her sister! The very idea of Timmy and Vicki...!

"I'm a firm believer that age is just a number, Toots-"

"Stop calling me that!" the girl whispered at him harshly. "You still haven't told Vicki that you want to... date me..." Tootie trailed off at the end, this day was just becoming weirder and weirder... First her and Chester, now Timmy and her sister? _"__If there's a Cupid, he's out of his damn mind!"_

"I will... Soon as she finishes cleaning up the kitchen and comes in here, I'll tell her..." the blond stated reassuringly. "Anyway, you're telling me that if you liked me, and I was few years older than you, you wouldn't want to give the idea of 'us' a try?" Chester frowned at her.

"There are certain differences one has to take into consideration depending on if the boy in a relationship is older than the girl, and vice versa. If you were say, seventeen, and I was the age I am now, it might not be so bad, but Vicki's..."

"Ugh... You're getting too scientistic on me... Reminds me of Brainiac..." Chester rubbed at his forehead, pretending he had a headache, then sighed. "Not like it matters anyway, you really think we can stop either of them if that's what they want? Timmy's too willful, and Vicki is... Um... Vicki."

Tootie found she honestly couldn't argue with that logic. Timmy's willfulness was something she adored about him, if he had his sights on something, he would _not_ give up on getting that something, no matter what. And her sister... She was pretty similar, except she'd just _take_ what she wanted, rather than earn it like Timmy. "I think we'd be better off staying out of it." she slumped back into the couch and leaned into Chester, then grabbed his arm and lifted it up to put around her shoulders.

The blond smirked at his girlfriend's actions. "Agreed."

_In the kitchen..._

"Think I'd rather be in here with Vicki than try to explain myself to... those... two?" Timmy trailed off as he walked into the kitchen and was met with a very peculiar sight. Currently, his supposedly evil babysitter was doing the dishes, obviously not something he envisioned the red-head doing, not in his wildest dreams. Though, he had to admit that today hadn't exactly been 'normal', so Vicki doing the dishes was fairly tame in comparison.

"Why? What's up with them?" Vicki turned off the faucet as she looked over her shoulder at the brunet. "And what exactly would you rather not explain to them?" she turned around to look at Timmy fully as she dried her hands with a towel.

Timmy, however, hadn't heard her, being more in shock at the fact that the kitchen was cleaned up. "What- Why are you doing the dishes? And... why'd you clean up?" the teen looked at the table, now clear of everything except a significantly smaller birthday cake, and what he assumed was the slice Vicki said she'd cut for him earlier.

"Felt like it." Vicki shrugged, signifying that that was the end of that conversation, and tossed the towel she was using behind her onto the counter, then grabbed the lone plate off the table and handed it to Timmy. "Saved you a slice, like I said I would."

"Um... thank you?" taking the plate from her, the brunet couldn't help but chuckle at the fact that said cake slice had the name 'Vicki' written on it in frosting. Smirking at this, he turned the plate so she could see. "Wanna switch?"

"Hm? Oh, you got the one with my name, huh?" Vicki crossed her arms, slightly pushing up a certain part of her anatomy and smiling while shooting the brunet a sultry look. She found herself wondering for a few brief seconds if he'd get her next joke. "...Nah, it's fine, you can eat me."

"Um... Okay? If you say so, Vicki." Timmy sat down at the table and began eating his slice of cake. "Huh. This is really good!" He'd never had red velvet cake before.

Snickering at her Twerp's naivete, Vicki grabbed the rest of the cake and stuck it in the fridge, then sat down in the chair next to him. "Ah... That joke went right over your head..." she ruffled Timmy's hair, absently wondering why he was without his favorite hat. "So what's going on with my sister and Chester?" she nearly laughed out loud as Timmy abruptly stopped eating and looked at her with wide eyes. "Just tell me."

He wasn't sure if the smile she was giving him warranted caution or not, but it did somehow put him at ease, if only a little. And he knew from the tone in her voice that lying was out of the question anyway, so, after swallowing his cake, Timmy released a loud huff through his nose. "You sure you don't want to hear it from them?"

That was all he needed to say to confirm what she had already guessed. Sitting next to each other, Tootie covering Chester's mouth to protect him from her wrath when the blond started singing, and then her sister pleading with her slightly more forcefully than was normal to not kill said blond? Seemed to Vicki that those two were more going out of their way to _show_ that they were an item, rather than try to hide it. "Are you so sure that they're gonna tell me?"

Timmy didn't answer at first, opting instead to give his slice of cake the occasional stab with his fork, though his gaze remained focused on Vicki. "Dunno for sure." for once, the brunet felt he could talk to the red-head without feeling nervous, though he knew he could probably attribute it to the fact that the focus wasn't on his growing feelings for her. "I know Chester felt the need to text me, remember back in the restroom at Giovanni's?"

"Ah right... You were saying that Tootie had the hots for someone..." Vicki supported her chin in her hand as she leaned on her elbow. "So it was Blondie..."

"I thought you were calling him Chester?" Timmy wondered if she had slipped up, or-

"Chester, Blondie, same person." she shrugged indifferently.

"_Or if she just doesn't care." _Timmy mused to himself.

"So lemme ask you then, since you probably know him a lot better than I do... He wouldn't... do anything to hurt her, right?" She knew she probably sounded _too_ sincere, too concerned about her sister, but she really, honestly was.

"Wait... you think Chester might... Why didn't you ever ask me about this type of stuff when Tootie had a crush on me?" Timmy asked almost in disbelief, he was aware that Vicki could be protective of Tootie(even if she'd never show it openly, let alone admit it), but were they really having this conversation? She was confiding in _him_?

"Tootie's crush on you never bothered me because..." she hesitated, paying compliments to people had never been her forte, and that was especially true when it came to Timmy, even if she was beginning to take a shine to him.

"Because...?"

Vicki sighed, mildly annoyed. "Because I _know_ you. We've spent so much time together that... I guess I trust you. I knew you wouldn't hurt her, not just because you two are friends, but because you're a good person. But I've also spent the most time around you, gotten to know you. I don't _know_ Chester or AJ all that well, so I'm asking you, seeing as how she's your best friend; do you trust Chester to be good to her?"

"Well... Chester can be kind of..."

"Dopey?"

"I was gonna say goofy, but sure." Timmy took another bite of his cake. "Yeah, I guess I do. It's not just about Tootie being your sister, I don't think Chester would do anything to hurt her, not on purpose anyway."

"...Alright then." seeing that Timmy had finished his cake, Vicki stood up and grabbed his plate to wash it, then nearly jumped when the brunet's hand shot out and took the plate back.

"Nope. You've got presents to open, I'll take care of the rest of the dishes."

"I can-" Vicki paused as she looked at Timmy, he was smirking at her, and obviously wasn't budging on this one. "Fine, if you really want to. Don't forget, Timmy, I _am_ gonna pay you back."

"Pay me back? For what? Did I... do something wrong?" the brunet asked, a hint of worry evident in his voice.

"No, you've been great, I told you that. Payback doesn't necessarily have to be bad..." she winked at him.

"So... what did you have in mind...?" he asked fearfully. Even with her saying the payback wouldn't be bad... That didn't necessarily mean it would be good... Did it?

"It'll be a... Surprise." she snapped her fingers. "You'll see later. Now go on, you've got dishes to clean." with that, Vicki left Timmy alone in the kitchen and went into the living room.

The teen sighed and hung his head as his babysitter disappeared into the living room. "I can't catch a break, can I?" Timmy looked up at the ceiling, expecting some eldritch deity to answer him, yet no response came. "Yeah, that's what I thought..."

_In the living room..._

Vicki walked into the living room and immediately went into stealth mode upon seeing Tootie's and Chester's heads over the back of the couch, also seeing that her sister was resting her head on said blond's shoulder. _"Oh this is too good to pass up!"_ Creeping over to the couch and reaching the back of it, the red-head vaulted over it, plopping down next to her sister and Chester, nearly making them leap forward out of their seats. "So how're you two?" She smirked at the two teens, having to stifle a giggle as Tootie pressed herself against her blond friend.

"Um... Y-y'know..." Tootie pushed off Chester, realizing that she was likely just further incriminating herself at this point.

"Living the dream?"

"Huh?" as ready as she had been to have Chester's back and tell her sister that they were testing the water, Vicki's calm demeanor and casualness made all of Tootie's confidence drain away. "What do you-"

"I'm okay with it." the red-head stated rather simply and smiled at the teens sharing the couch with her.

"I don't care what you say! I like Tootie, and I won't let you be evil and keep us apart, no matter what you say, I'm gonna see her, because I care about her, and- Wait, what?"

Vicki quirked an eyebrow at Chester and his sudden outburst, he had practically leapt over Tootie and gotten right in her face, then started yelling out of the blue about how he was going to date her sister... _"Guess he wasn't expecting me to give consent for their relationship..."_ "But! Let me make myself perfectly clear. If you even consider _thinking _about hurting her, they will _not_ find your body, understand me?"

"You- You're okay with me and... Tootie?" Chester's angry determination gave way for genuine shock.

"As long as we understand each other, yes, I am." the red-head stuck her hand out and let it delicately come to rest on Chester's cheek, then roughly pushed him out of her field of view and off the couch. "Now, I know you're smart enough to know better, but if you two should... actually last, Sis... Don't make me an aunt before thirty, okay?"

Blushing for what had to be the hundredth time that day, this time thanks to her sister's insinuation, Tootie nodded her head vigorously in understanding.

"Good, we're all clear on how this is gonna work out. Chester, you need to head home."

"Wha?! Why?!" "Vicki, that isn't fair!" Chester and Tootie shouted at the same time.

"One-" Vicki stuck up her right index finger. "Because it's getting late, and I'm not getting paid to keep an eye on you." she directed her gaze at Chester. "Two-" the red-head now raised her middle finger. "I never claimed to be a fair person. You both know that... And consider yourselves lucky that I'm giving you my blessing at all!"

The two teens shrank back at their babysitter's raised voice, both muttering 'Alright' as Chester sat back down next to Tootie, and both slid over to the other end of the couch.

"You need a ride?" _"Oh great, do I actually feel bad?!"_ Vicki grimaced at herself. She was beginning to wish this day would just end so she had an excuse to go back to be being mean... Well, after she paid back her Twerp...

"No thanks, I don't live too far anyway." the blond stood up and made for the door, followed by Tootie, then stopped and sighed before turning around. "Um... Happy Birthday, Vicki."

"...Thanks, be careful on your way home." she looked out the window, seeing that it was almost night.

"I will." Chester made his way over to the front door and pulled it open, only to find himself being turned back around to face Tootie.

"Forgetting something?" the bespectacled girl raised an eyebrow and smirked at her friend that would soon be known as her boyfriend.

"I... don't think so..." the teen began patting himself down absentmindedly. "What am I-"

"She wants a kiss, Knucklehead."

Tootie rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Vicki..."

"Oh! Right!" Chester leaned in-

"Hey! No lip action in front of-" Vicki sighed as she placed her right hand over her eyes. "Nevermind... Do what you want."

Smirking at having been given the go-ahead, Tootie gave Chester a quick peck on the lips. "I think you've gotten enough today..." she whispered as she pulled away. "So... tomorrow?"

"Yeah? Okay sure! You want me to bring flowers for you or-"

"Just bring yourself." Tootie cut him off, giving the blond a parting hug, then shut the door and leaned against it before sighing contentedly.

"Can I move my hand now, or are you gonna start swooning again?" Vicki smirked as she peeked an eye out from between her fingers.

"Ugh! I was _not_ swooning!" Tootie crossed her arms and looked away indignantly.

"Then you were making a very swoony-sounding noise." the red-head moved her hand away form her eyes and let it come to rest on her gift from AJ. "Guess I can start opening gifts, now that everyone's gone!"

"Um... yeah, about that..." Tootie, now realizing her situation, rubbed the back of her head nervously. "I... didn't really have the chance to go out and get you anything... so-"

"You're worried about that? Tootie, you and the Twerp threw me the best birthday party I've ever had, far as I'm concerned, you two are golden." she began tearing the tissue paper off the gift, letting it fall to the floor, along with the ribbon. "Hm. Should've known Baldy would try and get me something practical..."

"What is it?" Tootie stepped closer to get a better look at the now unwrapped gift.

"'Best Weapons and Methods to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse', by Jacqueline Salt... That name sound familiar?"

"Mmm... Nope, not ringing any bells." Tootie plopped down next to her older sister on the couch.

"Well... I suppose it should be an interesting read... How did you and Blondie even... Happen? You two been doing this for a while, and just now decided to stop being careful, or...?" Vicki picked up her other gift, the one from the blond teen she was currently questioning her sister about.

"It- We- ...I yelled at AJ when he tried to get out of helping with getting ready for the party, and... I guess me getting angry and yelling was somehow... a real turn-on for Chester... I had no idea he was... Like that. I was so confused at first! I thought..." Tootie sighed loudly. "I don't know what I thought. But I _do_ like him, and he- He actually likes me! Wants to be with me, I don't have to chase him, or-"

"Whoa whoa whoa! Should've asked for the short version!" Vicki chuckled as she rubbed Tootie's shoulder. "I told you I'm okay with it, just wanted to know how it came about. Good for you, Sis! Really, I'm happy you found someone that likes you as much as you like them. Just... make sure you're careful, okay? I don't just mean being 'safe'-" Vicki used air quotes. "I mean don't scare this one, okay?"

"Thanks, Vicki. I... I'll try to be... better..." Tootie looked at her hands in her lap, now feeling a little unsure once more. What if she screwed up again and scared Chester too? "Um... What did Chester get you?"

"A game, if I had to guess." Vicki held up the aforementioned gift and shook it slightly. "Definitely a game."

"What's a game?" Timmy came in from the kitchen, finally having finished cleaning up from the party. He totally wasn't stalling and taking his time to keep from facing Vicki and Tootie, definitely not, don't even think it.

"This." Vicki held the tissue-wrapped gift up so the brunet could see it.

"Gonna open it?" Timmy sat down on the couch between the two girls with a thump, making the both of them bounce up slightly.

"Figured we'd wait for you." the red-head began unwrapping her gift. "Chester went home, by the way. Told him it was getting late, which, it is."

"'Kay. You guys-"

"Yeah." Vicki cut him off, knowing he was about to bring up the Chester/Tootie thing. "Oh! He got me Bio-Evil Five! Must've gotten his dad to buy it!"

"So you're a big fan of survival-horror then?" Timmy asked, already knowing she was, since he got the game for her.

"Bet your ass I am! You two wanna break it in?"

"_And suddenly my evil babysitter turned into a video game nerd, and it was awesome." _ Timmy mentally laughed at how excited she was. "Aren't we kinda young to play that, what with all the blood, gore, and trench coat wearing bad guys?"

"Yes. But it sounds like someone _else_ is a fan of the series... Care to share with the group, Twerp?" Vicki smirked at Timmy knowingly.

"Well... I might have a few of the prequels up in my room..." _"Like, all of them."_ Timmy stated coyly.

"You two are perfect for each other..." Tootie shrugged and shook her head in mock-disappointment. "You want me to head out so you two can _make out_?"

Timmy blushed beet-red at this, and attempted to stammer out an adequate retort, but Vicki wasn't fazed in the least by her sister's little teasing remark. "Just for that, you can play last." the red-head stood up from the couch and popped her new game into the game system beneath the TV set, then grabbed a controller and tossed it to Timmy.

The brunet caught the controller and shot the girl a confused look. "Why do I go first? It's your game _and_ your birthday, shouldn't you-"

"And risk looking stupid when I die first? No way. Test the water for me so I can get a sense of what I'm in for."

"So... make _myself_ look stupid instead?" Timmy frowned up at her, which, in her opinion, only made him look cuter.

"You'll do fine, I have faith! So, whose idea was it to have a party for me, really?" Vicki asked as she sat down on the couch between Timmy and Tootie, nearly landing in the brunet's lap and making him scoot over to give her room.

Knowing they were caught, Tootie sighed loudly. "It was Ti-"

"Tootie's." the brunet interrupted Tootie before she could finish, earning him a wide-eyed look from his friend that went unnoticed by the birthday girl seated between them. "After I talked to you this morning and went back up to my room, Tootie called me and asked me if it would be okay to throw you a birthday party."

"Really." Vicki looked at her sister, who still seemed rather confused as to what was going on.

"Ayup. She was telling me about how she wanted to do something nice for you on your birthday, since you'd never had a real party before, so she asked me to keep you busy while she set everything up; inviting our friends, getting the cake, decorating the house... y'know." all during his little speech, Timmy never averted his gaze from the television, being under the assumption that Vicki would see through his lie should he make eye contact with her.

"This true, Toots? You did all this for me?" Vicki looked at Tootie, who in turn looked at Timmy, who frantically nodded at her in an effort to get the raven-haired girl to take full credit and play along.

"Um... Y-Yes? I- It was my plan to throw you a party..." Tootie shifted her gaze away, pretending to be embarrassed at having been found out. "But I couldn't have done it without Timmy's help!" she added in suddenly.

"And to think that I was actually afraid you had forgotten my birthday!" the red-head leaned over and pulled Tootie into a hug, making the girl flinch, clearly not expecting such an action by her sister. "Guess I was just being silly! Thanks for throwing me a party, sis!"

After a second, Tootie relaxed, realizing she wasn't in any immediate danger from her sister, and returned the hug. "A-anytime Vicki." _"What- What could've happened at the mall?"_ She looked at Timmy, who by now returned his attention to the video game he was playing.

Sure, Vicki wasn't heartless, and did occasionally show this by being nice to Tootie or hugging her(though hugs were pretty rare, kind of a blue moon type of thing), the girl could tell that this wasn't the usual sweet-as-an-angel facade that she'd put up around unsuspecting parents. This was real, actual affection, something she first noticed when her sister and Timmy had returned, and Vicki hugged him.

Now, being that Tootie was the second-smartest person in their group of friends(a title that she'd probably have to struggle to keep, now that Trixie and Veronica were their friends as well, and the blonde was at least more devious than she had given her credit for), she knew something _must_ have happened between her sister and best friend at the mall. _What_ that something was, was the problem. She hadn't been there with them, and was almost positive that neither of them would tell her if something _did_ happen anyway.

Hearing her phone vibrate from its position on the endtable next to the couch Tootie looked over at it, and Vicki released her to let her grab it. "It's... Mom."

"Hm." the red-head found her good mood nearly instantly shattered. "Probably afraid I'm corrupting you or something..."

"Or she's just worried since I've been gone all day." Tootie rolled her eyes. She knew that Vicki wasn't fond of their parents, and she couldn't really blame her for that either, they had always been more distant with Vicki than with her.

"Whatever." Vicki waved her hand dismissively and turned her attention to the other teen on the couch. "My turn." she reached for Timmy's controller.

Instinctively, Timmy moved the controller just out of her reach. "Hang on, just let me-"

Before he could finish, Vicki flicked the joystick, making the brunet's in-game character lurch forward... And right into a chainsaw blade, slicing their head clean off. "Oh no! Looks like you died, my turn."

Sighing in defeat(though not very surprised by the red-head's actions), Timmy handed off the controller and stood up from the couch. "You two want anything to drink?" He looked at Tootie, who was more interested in her phone conversation than what he had said, then over at Vicki.

"Got any pink lemonade?"

"_No, we don't."_ "I can check." leaving the two sisters in the living room, Timmy went back into the kitchen and opened the fridge to see that, no, they didn't have any pink lemonade. "Why even ask for that?" He was positive this was the first time she had ever asked for the drink, much in the same way he was positive that there wasn't any in the house in the first place. Yet this brought another question to the front of his consciousness. Why had he said he'd check if he already knew they didn't have the beverage? Did he... Was he trying to go out of his way to make her happy? And if so, why? Hadn't he done enough in giving her something she'd never had before? "Argh! I don't-" Timmy caught himself before yelling and sighed. "I wish there was a bottle of pink lemonade in the fridge..." he muttered out as he pinched the bridge of his nose and grabbed the drink as it materialized onto the shelf in the fridge.

He simply couldn't understand it. This was _Vicki_. Sure, she had mellowed over the years, and even been nice to him today, but that shouldn't change things between them, should it? It was beginning to feel like whatever he felt for the red-head _wasn't_ the same as it had been with Trixie. For some reason, he wanted to see her smile, wanted her to be happy. He found himself actually _wanting_ to go out of his way to get the girl to smile at him. With Trixie, he hadn't felt quite like this, it was more just getting her to return the affections... And finding out how dependent she was on attention from other people... What point was there in a relationship if he couldn't make her happy without help from complete strangers?

The brunet stopped in front of the door that separated the two rooms. "Am I... Actually considering this?!" he whispered loudly, hoping it was still low enough so that Tootie and Vicki wouldn't hear. For some reason, he kept getting the slight nagging feeling that his... feelings weren't brought about by some errant spell cast by his babysitter. It was terrifying to admit, but he had to consider the fact that maybe it wasn't magic at all. Maybe Vicki's being nice, even for a few short hours, had radically shifted his opinion of the girl; maybe he _did_ like her, or at least, this side of her. "Or... maybe it's just magic..."

For anyone else, this explanation would sound extremely unlikely, and rightfully so. How many fourteen year-olds could say they went on as many magical adventures as Timmy Turner? Very few, and that's being generous. But, for the aforementioned teen, magic made more sense than even the most obvious evidence, leaving the poor brunet rather torn.

"Hey! I'm dying of thirst in here! You get lost in the- Don't give me that look, Tootie! You want privacy, talk somewhere not in public!"

Hearing Vicki berate him shook Timmy from his introspection long enough to leave the kitchen and return to the living room, once again sitting down between the two sisters, who continued to argue back and forth, though Tootie did so silently, being that she was still on the phone. "Here." he tossed Vicki's requested drink onto her lap.

"Thanks." pausing the game, she opened the bottle and took a sip, then stuck her tongue out at Tootie before turning her attention to Timmy. "So what took you so long? I thought you were finished cleaning up?"

"I am. I just... got texts from Chester and AJ, they wanted to thank me for inviting them, and you for not... Murdering them." he lied quickly and(he hoped) believably.

"I figured I'd try my hand at being nicer for a change, since it's my birthday." Vicki shrugged as she unpaused the game and turned up the volume, mostly just to spite her sister and mother.

"So... Does that mean you're gonna be extra evil tomorrow?" Timmy asked hesitantly, remembering he and Vicki were going to spend the weekend together.

"Well... Can't _guarantee_ I'll be nice..." Vicki glanced over at Tootie, who was looking away and still yammering away at their mother, from what she could tell. "But for you?" she smirked and leaned toward Timmy, nudging his shoulder with her own. "I can try..."

The brunet thought -Like _seriously_ thought- about moving away from Vicki when she did this, especially with Tootie so close(he'd _never_ hear the end of her teasing if she noticed this little interaction), but there were two problems with this idea. The first being that giving his babysitter the cold shoulder was likely to end badly for him, and the second was... He honestly didn't mind her affectionate little gesture. Sure, it made his heart speed up again, and at this rate, he was beginning to worry that he might have a heart attack from all the various paces the organ had been going through, but he felt a warm, almost tingly sensation in his stomach from their contact, one that he wasn't necessarily opposed to.

"Ugh! We need family counseling!" Tootie exclaimed loudly(making Timmy and Vicki both jump in surprise and pull away from each other) as she ended the call with her mother.

"What's up?" Vicki asked coolly, not showing even a hint of surprise at almost being caught. "Mom mad at me for whatever again?"

"Just the usual... I think you're right, maybe she _does_ think you're corrupting me... Makes me feel like she thinks I'm not my own person... Can't you and her just-"

"No." Vicki cut Tootie off coldly. "I didn't do anything wrong. Mom and Dad screwed up as parents, I just gave back what I got growing up."

"But maybe you could apologize-"

"My birthday has been happy so far, Tootie. Don't go ruining it now. They want to apologize, fine, but I'm not gonna let them walk all over me, and then say _I'm_ sorry that I wasn't good enough for them to love me."

Knowing that was the end of the conversation, Tootie sighed and opened her mouth to speak, only to be interrupted, this time by her phone notifying her of a text message. Picking it up and glancing her phone, she realized it was Veronica.

_Don't forget our deal! 3_

"Who was it? Mom _again_?" Vicki asked in mild annoyance.

"Um... N-no, just Chester telling me goodnight! Heheh..." Tootie texted back quickly. Vicki might know and be okay with her and Chester seeing each other, but Tootie wasn't about to risk her entire school finding out...

_I won't._

"A-anyway, Mom's coming to get me in a few minutes. Would it... be alright if I come over tomorrow?" Tootie looked at Timmy, who had kept quiet up until now.

The brunet looked at her. "I'm okay with it-"

"But I doubt Mom will be." the room's only adult(so she claimed) once more interrupted without tearing her eyes from the TV. "Long as she knows I'm here, anyway."

"Then I'll tell her I'm going out with friends." Tootie offered.

_KNOCK-KNOCK_

"Speak of the devil..." Vicki handed her controller to Timmy as she stood up and strode over to the door, opening it to reveal a woman that looked... A lot like Tootie, actually. Well, if Tootie were older, didn't have pigtails, and _did_ have pink eyes... but she had similar facial features, and of course, glasses. And the woman wore black jeans and a purplish shirt. She looked like she might even be younger than his own mother... Timmy frowned as he realized his in-game character died again, thanks to him looking at Tootie and Vicki's mother, rather than the game. He at last realized where Vicki got her pink eyes, since her mom's were the same color. "And she shall appear... Nicki." her words were so bitter, Timmy felt _he_ could taste the bitterness.

"Vicki..."

Timmy noticed that this woman, who one would think(from the way she was described) actually had a bit of authority over the red-head, suddenly seemed nervous, almost... sheepish. _"Vicki is _that_ scary at home...?"_ He was once again alerted of his character's death due to his relatively short attention span, and decided he was better off keeping his nose out of the Valentine family's business.

Tootie got off the couch and walked over to stand next to Vicki by the door. "Is being a normal family all that hard? Why can't you two just bury the hatchet and-"

"I'll bury a hatchet alright..." Vicki muttered as she crossed her arms.

"Tootie... Your sister doesn't want to-" the woman known as 'Nicki' began.

"Don't. Don't even _think_ about putting words in my mouth. You and Dad gave up on me out of the blue. Do you _seriously_ wonder why I turned out the way I am?" Vicki spat back venomously.

"I-it isn't like that! I- We both made mistakes as your parents, I know we did... And you never did anything wrong, we- ...We weren't ready to be parents, but I refused to give you up... And... And by the time I was ready to try and be your mother, you were-" Vicki's mother blinked back tears.

"Awful? Spiteful? Evil? Maybe... A monster? Look who I had to raise me; no one!" She wanted to end this conversation right now, she didn't need this today, on what was supposed to be a happy birthday.

"You think I don't know that? You think I don't regret not being there for you? You don't want us to make amends!"

"You don't want to apologize!"

Timmy glanced over at the two arguing women, finally understanding where Vicki got her temper, and maybe why she could be so mean at times. A little voice at the back of his head told him that he should go to her, but why? She wasn't- They weren't together. What right did he have to stick his nose in their business?

"I'm sorry, okay?! I screwed up as a parent, I should've- I should've been better... I can't change the past, but do we have to fight all the time? I wanted to wish you a happy birthday..." Nicki at last finished, slightly out of breath from arguing, and looking a combination of defeated and ashamed.

"Who told you? Tootie?" Vicki asked, taken aback at the thought that her mother actually remembered her birthday.

"Who _needed_ to tell me? You think I don't remember giving birth to my own daughter? ...Not like I deserve your understanding... I didn't even have a party planned for you, yet it seems that these people did... We've avoided each other for so long, I feel like I barely even know you. I didn't want to set something up, only to make you angrier with me-"

"You thought doing nothing was better?"

"I know it wasn't, but... But we never talk! I may not have been the best mother, but I can't begin to make up for my mistakes if you don't _talk_ to me!"

Vicki rubbed her eyes with her right index finger and thumb, feeling the slight itchiness that let her know that tears were on the way. All this time, her mother... and maybe even her father? Had wanted to make amends... And she had been too stubborn to swallow her pride and try to be a family, even if they had ignored her, that didn't make them beyond forgiveness... "You two should head home, it's getting late."

"...Alright... C'mon Tootie..." Nicki began to turn away from the door-

"And... Mom?"

Only to stop and look at her eldest daughter fully. "Y-yes?"

"I'll... call you tomorrow, okay?" the red-head shot her mother a small smile.

"O-okay!" Nicki suddenly stepped forward, capturing Vicki in a very Tootie-like hug.

"Yeah..." Vicki returned the hug for a second, then tried to push her mother away, to no avail. "...Mom?' she squirmed slightly in her mother's grasp. "Mom. Too much."

"Oh! I'm-" Nicki pulled away, a light dusting of pink on her cheeks. "S-sorry Vicki..."

"It's alright..." the red-head sighed, knowing that there was going to be _a lot_ of talking come morning. "Tomorrow then?"

"T-tomorrow." her mother nodded, then turned around and made her way over to her car, then got in, followed by Tootie.

"Love you, Sis!" the raven-haired girl called as she got into the car.

"Love you too, Toots!" Vicki waved and shut the door, sighed loudly(and dramatically), then walked back over to the couch and sat down next to Timmy. "I suppose now would be the part where you tell me you're _so_ proud of me for trying to make amends with my mom, right?"

Timmy paused the game at this and shot his babysitter a sly smile. "Nope."

"No...? Really? ...Why not?" she asked suspiciously.

"You really want to talk about it? Do I get paid to be like, your family therapist or something?" the brunet asked, pretending to be excited at the prospect.

"Nevermind." Vicki brought both hands up to her face and covered it as she yawned. "It's been a _long_ day..."

"Wanna open the rest of your presents?" Timmy turned off the game system. He hadn't been doing particularly well anyway.

Rather than respond, Vicki stuck her right hand out, open-palmed toward Timmy.

"Y'know..." the brunet picked up the first gift from underneath the coffee table, this one from Trixie. "I think Trixie and Veronica's gifts might be... Kind of last minute, so..." he placed the gift in Vicki's hand.

"I'll try not to look too disappointed." Vicki deadpanned as she began unwrapping the gift, revealing it to be exactly what Timmy thought it was, a blanket. Specifically the fleece variety with a picture of a wolf on a blue background. "...I can actually use this."

"Well... it _is_ a blanket, but isn't it a little hot for a _fleece_ blanket? It's the middle of July!" Timmy grabbed the other gift as he spoke.

"I keep the air conditioner on in my room when I sleep, it gets cold, I have an excuse to sleep wrapped in a blanket." Vicki stated like it was the most normal thing in the world.

He couldn't argue with that logic, considering that, while he didn't own a fleece blanket, he did sleep wrapped in his comforter when it was cold, and he slept _very_ well in those instances. "Here." Timmy handed her the gift from Veronica. It was about the same size as Trixie's, but was definitely solid; a box of some sort.

Wrapping her new blanket around herself, Vicki took the present and shook it, producing a faint rattling sound.

"What if it's just filled with snakes?" He grinned at her, earning him a scowl from the birthday girl as she tossed the box into his lap.

"You open it, Smartass." Vicki crossed her arms over her chest. She didn't _really_ believe it was snakes, that'd be crazy. _"Though impressive."_

"If you want me to..." Carefully unwrapping the ribbon and gift paper, Timmy placed it in a small heap on the floor, then slid his fingers along the lid. "Okay..." Taking a deep breath(more for effect than actual fear of the box containing snakes), the buck-toothed teen lifted the lid up. "What the..." reaching into the box, Timmy pulled his hand out, now holding a gift card. "It's... A gift card to Wall 2 Wall Mart. For... Wow. I-Hey!" he exclaimed as Vicki snatched the gift card out of his hand.

"Three hundred dollars?" the red-head whistled. "Not bad... Leave it to rich people to throw money around like it's candy... Though I do wonder why she put it in such a big box... Was Veronica the blonde one?"

"Yes-"

"That explains it."

"Suppose so." Timmy changed the channel on the TV to one that showed mostly movies. _"Don't forget _your_ gift, idiot!"_ He could feel the small velvet box practically burning a hole in his pocket. _"I've... got time. Just... I'll give it to her in a little bit. No rush, right?" _he shifted nervously in his seat. What would giving her the gift mean? You gave nice jewelery to girls you liked, right? So... should he?

Meanwhile, Vicki glanced over at the brunet, still having his little internal conflict. "Y'know..." she slid over the couch cushions and stopped next to Timmy. "Now that we're alone... I _really _feel the need to thank you for today..."

"Hm? Oh, that's alright, I was just-" Timmy paused mid-sentence and turned his head to look at Vicki, nearly jumping out of his skin upon realizing how close she suddenly was to him. "Trying to be... nice?" the brunet trailed off under Vicki's gaze. There was a strange quality to it that made him uncomfortable... Mostly in his stomach. Not nausea... More fluttery, he supposed.

As for her expression... She was smiling, and her eyes were half-lidded, not seeming to be sleepy though... And that red blush he had seen when she pulled him into the dressing room at the mall was back, mostly on her cheeks, and just below her eyes. And... _"She keeps leaning closer!"_ That was what irked the teen the most, his babysitter was leaning in like this was some... some _romance_ movie! Like this was the part where they were supposed to- "You... you like _me_?!" he harshly whispered out, not wanting to yell in her face, even if this was(to him) Earth-shattering information.

The sweet smile broke into a more Cheshire one at that, complete with Vicki showing her pearly white teeth, which Timmy was surprised to find were_ not_ serrated like a shark's(as he imagined they'd be). "Hey! Maybe you're not as naïve as I thought!" she laughed lightly.

Had she... just confirmed it? Timmy had his suspicions that his babysitter might like him, but for her to admit it so easily? The teen simply wasn't ready for it. All day he had begun to think it was he who liked _her_, and now she dropped this on him?! His mind was snapped back to reality as he felt her hand slowly move forward along the couch cushions(slightly depressing them), then collide with his upper thigh, steadily creeping up it until- "Um!" he tensed up at her touch.

"Hey... What is..." the red-head's fingers curled around something... _Hard_. She ran her fingers around it, quickly realizing that this was _not_... What she'd originally thought it was. "I'd ask if you were happy to see me... But unless your package is... _really_ oddly-shaped..." Shaking the blanket off her arm, Vicki looked down to find her fingers were wrapped around a box of some kind, still hidden in the confines of Timmy's jeans. "You holdin' out on me, Punk?" her grin faded, now replaced by a small frown, and she raised an eyebrow at the brunet.

"I..." Timmy sighed and hung his head. "Chester's been teasing me all day after that hug when we got back, so I didn't want to give it to you in front of him and Tootie... And... and lately I can't even _begin_ to figure out what I'm feeling, and you..." the brunet looked up at Vicki now, meeting her pink eyes and feeling his stomach get all fluttery once more. "_You_ like _me_? Why-" Timmy froze, feeling Vicki's index finger suddenly come to rest on his lips. It felt nice... and a little cool.

"Just give me the gift."

Another sigh, this one out of Timmy's nose, since his mouth was covered. He reached into his pocket, pulling out the small box and holding it in his hand, still unsure if he should give it to her. "Look, I-"

"Shh! Give it here."

The brunet handed her the gift, now feeling _extremely_ uncomfortable, due to the distinct lack of emotion in Vicki's voice. She wasn't mad, or happy, or sad... Or anything. Her tone was nothing... And nothing felt like the calm before the storm. So she liked him, at what point did that mean he was safe from her wrath?

Moving her hand away from his mouth at last, Vicki carefully undid the ribbon from around the small velvet box. She felt... a little scared to open it. Some part, deep down, kept nagging at her, telling her it was a ring, mostly just because the box was rather stereotypical. Little black velvet boxes didn't _always_ contain engagement rings, and the Twerp had no reason to get her something like that anyway; he was still struggling with figuring out his feelings for her, that was made evident... Pretty much all day, so...?

Gently placing the green ribbon down on the coffee table in front of her, Vicki lifted the cover up, revealing the pink, square-cut crystal, attached to a little silver chain. "Wow..."

"_Oh great! She hates it!" _Timmy misinterpreted Vicki's tone as sounding fairly unimpressed, while, in reality, she simply couldn't quite think of an adequate response.

"I- I'm... Um..." The gift had caught the red-head completely off guard. A thousand things could be read into from this gift, yet not a single one wanted to be voiced. Once more, the brunet had surprised her by going out of his way to be a good person to her. What could she have done to justify her getting a gift like this? She'd been terrible to him, to his friends! And yet... He'd gone out of his way to not only throw her a party, inviting his friends, covering for them and getting gifts from them, taking her out to eat and shopping...

In essence, he was showering her with undeserved adoration. Even as she knew he was struggling with feelings for her, he was treating her...

"You... could probably give it to someone else... if you don't like it?" Timmy offered, seeing that Vicki apparently didn't like the gift.

"Wha? Why would I do that?" her gaze at last shifted from the gift, to Timmy, whom she now looked at bemusedly.

"Because... you don't like it?"

"When did I say that?" averting her eyes from the brunet and back to the necklace, Vicki removed it from the box and held it up with her right hand as she dropped the box onto the table. "I like it... I'm just a little confused, that's all."

"...Okay...?" Timmy rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. He had expected her to elaborate on why she was confused, yet all she was doing now was looking at the necklace.

"I guess... I shouldn't be..." undoing the little metal clasp, Vicki brought the two halves of the silver chain around her neck, attaching them together and making them one again. "I mean... You're you, after all."

"I'm... me...? What's that supposed to mean?" it didn't _sound_ like an insult, but what did she mean? Who else was Timmy supposed to be but himself?

Rolling the little hunk of pink crystal about between her thumb and index finger, the red-head took the time to think on a proper response, one that her Twerp would actually understand. "You've always been so naïve... Which really shouldn't surprise me, what with your wanting to be friends with me when we first met. Bear with me here, I'm not the best when it comes to complimenting people... You're... brave, kind, honest, sincere, you care about your friends... and enemies..." she chuckled humorlessly. "And... you want me, of all people, a constant source of misery and hatred in your life... to be happy." Vicki let out a deep breath, one that sounded relieved, mostly because she was. "You wanted to know why I kissed you? And why I like _you_ of all people? Well, now you do."

Was he really? Maybe the girl- woman- _"What d__o__ I even call her?"_ Maybe she was right, to some extent... But then, she didn't know about all the things he'd done to get back at her... And there really wasn't any way to safely tell her without risking his godparents. "But... but aren't there... _other _guys you'd rather like?"

"Are there other girls _you'd_ rather like?" Vicki shot back, her tone significantly more sure than Timmy's.

"I never said I liked you though, I told you already, I'm... confused about everything right now..." the brunet nervously fiddled with the green ribbon that had been around the box containing Vicki's necklace, not knowing when he had even picked it up. "I like hanging out with you when you're..."

The red-head quickly moved across the couch cushions, turning her body to land butt-first in Timmy's lap, making him raise his arms up in shock, not wanting to inadvertently touch her in the wrong place. "Fun?" she looked up at him, eyes sparkling playfully.

"Th-that's one w-way to p-put it. A-Aren't you worried though?"

"About...?" Vicki laid her head down on the armrest of the couch, arms folded across her chest.

"Me?"

"Why should I be worried about you?" bringing her right hand up, the red-head lightly caressed Timmy's cheek, feeling him just slightly lean into her touch.

The brunet, meanwhile, wanted to stop himself, but couldn't. He wanted to push her hand away, to wriggle out from under her and move to the opposite side of the couch, to keep her at arm's length, where they were friends, where things made sense... He wanted to...

Almost as much as he wanted to stay right where he was. He could no longer deny the fact that he enjoyed her touch at the restaurant, teasing and meaningless as it was back then, much like he couldn't deny liking when they were in the vent, and she pressed herself against him, or how thrilling he found the act of skipping out on the check with Vicki to be. Even though he had only been exposed to it for a few hours, Timmy found that this playful and actually _happy_ attitude of hers was enjoyable. "I-I'm only fourteen though! Even if we got past all the stuff we've been through, there's no getting past the fact that you're six years older than me!"

"Five and a half." Vicki corrected, but pulled her hand away from Timmy's cheek to bring it behind her head, and now used it as a pillow. "And... you're considering this, aren't ya?" she raised an eyebrow at the brunet, slightly adjusting her position in his lap and offering him a small(and sly) smile.

"I..." Timmy's cheeks were overcome by a light pinkish blush. "Is there even any point in trying to hide it now?"

"Not really. Everyone else is gone; just you, me, and those goldfish of yours. C'mon..." Vicki moved her right arm out from under her head, snaked it around Timmy's shoulders, and used him as leverage to pull herself up, bringing her face in front of his. "Get it off your chest so you can relax already."

"I like... how you were today. When you're being nice to me... You're kind of fun to be around. I guess... I like you... No, I _do _like you, but..." the brunet looked away, suddenly feeling ashamed because-

"But you're afraid of... me going back to how I usually am, right?" Vicki turned Timmy's head with her finger, making him face her again.

"_Dammit, I _am_ easy to read!"_ he shifted his legs uncomfortably again.

"It's kind of funny. When I was with Ricky, the two of us used to torture you and your friends for fun, _that_ made me happy. Ricky went out of his way to make me happy... Or so I thought." Vicki once more adjusted her position in Timmy's lap, then rested her head on his shoulder.

"V-Vicki... maybe you could let me sit-"

"Don't act like you don't enjoy this." reaching behind herself with her left arm, the red-head grabbed Timmy's arm, bringing it around her waist and planting it firmly on her hip.

"But I- I don't-!"

"Right... So, those times I caught you staring at me, there was absolutely nothing naughty on your mind?"

"That's not the point! We shouldn't..." he sighed and leaned back, again remembering that giving his babysitter the cold shoulder was bound to end badly for him.

"Re-lax. Anyway, I should have known from the start that Ricky only wanted one thing... There were others too."

"Boyfriends?" Timmy hadn't meant to sound so disbelieving, but he couldn't recall seeing his babysitter with any other boys besides Ricky...

"No, _girl_friends." Vicki deadpanned at him. "What do you think? Yeah, I've had my fair share of relationships that have crashed and burned... Generally by my choice, just so we're clear."

"Because you'd have to be an idiot to break up with Vicki Valentine, right?" the brunet's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Now you're getting it! Who in their right mind would break up with someone as fun, beautiful, and sexy as me?"

"And so humble too!" Timmy said with a chuckle, starting to feel a little more relaxed.

"See? Now, if we get each others jokes, enjoy each others company, _and_ you admitted that you liked me... I can't help but ask, what are you so afraid of? ...Besides me?"

"_Yeah, that's pretty much it."_ Timmy rolled his eyes, despite that statement being in his head.

"So...? How 'bout it? Wanna make your babysitter the happiest girl in the world?" to drive her question home, Vicki nuzzled her head against Timmy's shoulder, tickling his neck a bit with her hair.

"...Really?" the brunet asked with a chuckle, not quite believing his babysitter had just said and done what she did. "That was-"

"Ugh... Bad, I know. I think I felt the sweetness of that one in my pancreas..." she rubbed at her stomach.

"If... if we're gonna try this... Could we... maybe try and take it slow?" Timmy pulled away from her slightly so he could look her in the eyes.

"Slow? Where's the fun in slow? And since when do I seem like the type to take things _slow_? You're passing up a golden opportunity here. All you have to do is ask, and I'd-" focusing on Timmy, his not-so-evil babysitter took pause. Realizing the position the two were in, and how she was essentially forcing him into something that he still wasn't completely sure of... It was probably a lot of stress for someone his age. _"I know a good way to relieve stress..."_ "Fine. Anyone ever tell you you're a tease?" her tone was low in his ear, but seemingly understanding as she moved off Timmy's lap and back over to her side of the couch.

"No... Though I'm sure Tootie's thought it once or twice..." Timmy rubbed the light coating of sweat on his palms onto his jeans, and quickly realized that he missed the contact they had been sharing already. "So... that's it?" he moved over, from the left-hand seat on the couch to the middle one, settling in next to Vicki without actually making contact.

Fingering her latest gift once again, the red-head shrugged, then shot him another small smile. "I think... This is the beginning of 'it'."


	7. And Eat it Too

A/N: Let's see... So, this one was written concurrently with All (F)or Nothing, so it's safe to say that(being a lemon) there'll be some similarities between them... Also, this almost killed me, blah blah blah, M rated, enjoy.

* * *

Vicki jolted awake as she heard an explosion... But quickly relaxed as she looked at the TV and saw that it was on. The explosion had been from... some movie that was on. Looking around and blinking her eyes to get used to being awake, she realized that it was dark in the living room, save for the flashes of the action scene on the TV. The red-head yawned and stretched her arms out in front of her, followed by her legs. A glance over at the living room's picture window revealed that it was nighttime, the moon, little more than a crescent, hung high in the sky. "How..." Another yawn, this one louder than the first. "How long was I out?"

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Vicki once again looked around the living room. The Turner's living room. _"Right... Mrs. Turner called and... asked me to stay over and keep an eye on Timmy... Wait. Where is...?"_

It was at this point that Vicki noticed the sound of low, steady breathing, along with a weight on her lap. Tilting her head down, she found the sleeping form of her charge, his head resting on her thighs, a seemingly content smile on his face, though that was most likely from a lack of realization as to where his head had fallen. "Hm... Right..." Vicki began in a low voice. "We were watching TV after everyone went home... Guess we fell asleep." Vicki shrugged. "Though I don't know how you managed to tip over onto my lap without waking me..."

The living room was cleaned up, for the most part. The red-head's various gifts sat on the endtable next to the couch, and here and there could be found a scrap of tissue paper that the gifts had been wrapped in... And upon her neck...

Vicki smirked as she brought her right hand up to her gift from the brunet. One he had insisted on waiting until _after_ everyone left to give to her. She found herself wondering if it held as much significance as she had given it credit for, or if the Twerp simply had uncanny good sense... _"__Who am I kidding? The Twerp has his moments, but I doubt he planned on getting this for me. We only just agreed to try 'us' out..."_

Again, the now-twenty year-old stretched, then grabbed her phone and checked the time, indicated as eleven PM. Returning her phone to the endtable with her gifts, Vicki looked down at Timmy, considering her two options. On the one hand, she could stand up from the couch, sending the brunet careening off her lap and probably onto the floor... Or into the coffee table, neither of which would be particularly enjoyable for him, though she'd probably get a laugh out of it. The other... Well, it would certainly be a lot nicer than the first plan, but definitely not as funny... She sighed. "I guess you deserve a break, since it's still my birthday for another hour..."

With this, Vicki lightly rubbed Timmy's shoulder, making sure to shake him just a little. After a few seconds, the teen groaned and cracked his eyes open to look around, then seemed to notice her hand on his shoulder, making him turn over onto his back and look up at the red-head. "V-Vicki? What-" He yawned, covering his mouth as he did. "What time is it? And... what are you doing in my bed...?"

"You're still on the couch, Twerp. And you're using me as a pillow." she smirked down at him and raised an eyebrow as the brunet's brain worked to decipher what she had just said.

"...Oh." Timmy's eyes widened. "_Oh_." The teen sat bolt upright, swung his legs off the couch and slid over to the opposite side, making sure to both put as much distance between himself and the red-head as possible, and getting as close to the stairs without arousing suspicion as possible, just in case he needed to make a break for them to avoid being murdered. _"Not like my bedroom door would stop her from getting to me if she really wanted to..." _He'd had a feeling when he saw her sleeping peacefully a few hours earlier that he should just go up to bed, go to sleep and forget about this _very_ bad idea that entered his mind, but... He was _really_ tired, and he _really_ liked being close to Vicki, so, at the time, he didn't think much of resting his head in her lap... Though he hadn't meant to fall asleep either. "I-uh... Sorry about... that." Timmy kept his gaze fixed on the stairs, rather than Vicki, fearing her icy glare alone would be enough to tear him from existence.

Grinning at his nervousness, Vicki slid across the couch cushions; as she had earlier, until landing on the same cushion as her target, and put her arm around his shoulders. "Whaddya say we... Pick up where we left off, hm?" her tone was low, but sultry. Dangerous, yet inviting.

And the teen could feel her warm breath on his ear and neck, giving him a light dusting of goosebumps across both of his arms, likely across the rest of his body too. "What... did you have in mind?"

An image flashed in Vicki's mind of the two of them tearing each others clothes off, Timmy laying back on the couch as she ravished him, made him breathily call her name in the darkness of the living room as she moaned his. _"I'm a pervert."_ "Er... Y'know... Stuff?" the red-head spoke in a sheepish, unsure tone, an unknown presence in her mind telling her that rocking her Twerp's world... Might not be the best idea. Nevermind the fact that he had _zero_ experience when it came to sex, and she had... Only slightly more, at best; the fact of the matter was: She was a twenty-ish year-old girl-_ woman_, and he was a fourteen year-old kid.

This nagging part of her mind, completely new to the fiery-haired woman, was what most people are familiar with as being their conscience. Hers(being that she was the demoness known as Vicki Valentine), was only recently able to come to the surface. It was in its infancy, but it still knew the consequences she faced if she went ahead with this admittedly not very well-thought-out plan. _"Or... Maybe I'll just have to go about this _very_ carefully..."_ An idea sprang to the forefront of Vicki's consciousness, one that could benefit her Twerp quite a bit, if he was going to be her boyfriend, and herself... A whole Hell of a lot more.

"Vicki? Everything okay?" his nervousness quelled for the moment, Timmy shifted his body a bit towards the red-head's, seeing that she was apparently deep in thought.

Snapping out of her weak trance, Vicki refocused her pink gaze on Timmy's blue orbs. "Remember how I gave you the Talk at the mall?" Her eyes were questioning, hoping that he wasn't as forgetful as his grades in math suggested.

"Yeah. About how my mom and dad had sex, and nine months later, I was born. No birds involved." he stated plainly, still being slightly too naïve to be bothered by mentioning mom, dad, and sex in the same sentence.

"Good! You remembered!" she leaned forward with a smile, nuzzling the tip of her nose against Timmy's, an action that; while eliciting a blush from the younger party, was also returned in kind. "Well..." she started in a sly tone. "How would you like... to get a bit of schooling in part two?"

"There's... a part two?" Timmy asked in wonderment, his blush quickly darkening to a rosier tint as he realized how childish he sounded.

"Yup! There is..." she replied in that low voice again, her right hand slowly moving up Timmy's thigh. "And let me tell ya, part two? It's the _best_ part..." _"You're going to Hell for this, you know that, right?"_ Vicki felt the little voice berate her again. _"Shut up."_ she forcefully shot back at the nagging voice.

"Ow..." Timmy squirmed as the armrest began to dig into his back. "Vicki... you're kind of... On top of me, and the arm of the couch is digging into my back...?"

"Oh!" she leaned back, giving the brunet some room so he could lean forward and rub at his now sore spine. "Are you alright?"

"I... I think so..." shrugging his arms out of the sleeves of his shirt, Timmy lifted the article of clothing up over his head and off, draping it across the offending couch arm as he turned to face it, exposing his back to Vicki. "Does it look okay?"

"_No. No _way_ is he this naïve. He's teasing me, right?!" _Vicki asked in her head. _"Don't do it..."_ her conscience warned her, only to be promptly ignored. "Lemme see..." showing no hesitation whatsoever, she ran her hands up Timmy's back, brushing against each little protrusion of his backbone that stuck out from him leaning forward. She occasionally brushed what she assumed to be a ticklish spot, as the younger teen flinched and shuddered at her touch. "Ticklish?"

"M-maybe a little... Do you see anything? No blood or... My bones aren't sticking out, are they?"

There was a certain urgency to the brunet's tone that she didn't like. One that the red-head felt the need to dispel as quickly as possible. "No you're fine... just... Fine." She leaned forward, seeing that Timmy was reaching for his shirt. "Yeah, you don't need that." Reaching her arm past him, she swatted the shirt off the couch and onto the floor.

"Um... Okay..." he held his hand in the air for a few seconds, then returned it to his lap. "I guess it's kinda warm in here anyway..."

"Right? Why do you think I took my shoes and socks off? Too warm in here..." Vicki wiggled her toes, despite them being out of sight from the teen in front of her, and began rubbing at his shoulders.

"My room's nice and cool..." Timmy almost immediately blushed as the words left his mouth. _"Great, now I sound like I don't want to be down here with her..."_

"Would you rather be up in your room?" she frowned now. What if he _would_ rather be in his room, instead of down here, with her? She began to pull her hands away from him-

"You could... Come up?" the brunet paused, then looked over his shoulder at her. "If... you want? I could... Um... Sleep on the floor, and you could take the bed..."

"Hm." she made a small noise of approval, the teen was playing right into her hands... "What a gentleman! Lead the way." releasing her light grip on Timmy's shoulders, Vicki stood up from the couch as he did, and watched him stoop to pick up his shirt. _"You're corrupting an innocent teenager!" _Again, her conscience tried to talk some sense into her. _"Innocence is subjective, whoever-you-are. Besides, it's my birthday, I'm entitled to some fun...!"_ The red-head giggled quietly as she followed Timmy up the familiar set of stairs, down the equally familiar hallway, and into the slightly less-familiar bedroom. "Ah... _So_ much better..." she inhaled deeply as her eyes fell on the air conditioning unit in the window. "Guess you and I have a like of the cold in common."

"Yeah, I- Oh! I forgot your blanket!" Timmy tossed his shirt onto the bed, then looked back at her. "It can get pretty cold in here, let me go grab it!" upon finishing, the teen dashed out of his room, leaving Vicki alone, the only sounds being those from the air conditioner, and an odd snoring sound coming from the room's fishbowl.

"So not only are the fish long-lived, they also snore... Weird." Walking around the room, Vicki noticed that it really wasn't all that different from the last time she had been in it. Timmy had the same computer desk and chair, same dresser, same twin size bed... She sat down on the edge of it as she heard loud, running footsteps back up the stairs, followed by Timmy coming back into his room and shutting the door behind him.

"Hey, I got it." the teen tossed the blanket to his babysitter, then strode over to his dresser and pulled out a couple of sheets before laying them down on the carpet on the floor.

"What are you doing?"

"Hm?" turning his attention from the sheets on his floor to the red-head sitting on his bed, Timmy shot her a questioning look that matched her own. "Making my bed? I can't let_you _sleep on the floor, so...?"

The red-head smirked at this, seeing yet another opportunity that she could take advantage of. "Y'know... there _is_ a bed right here..." she patted the spot next to her on the bed. "And there _is_ enough room for us both to share... As long as you don't mind... Besides, we can't go to sleep yet! I still have a lot to teach you about 'part two', remember?"

"I-If you want to... I guess we could try that..." Just as Tootie had earlier, Timmy felt himself blush for what had to have been the hundredth time that day, and for once, he actually knew why. Sure, he'd shared a bed with his friends on occasion when they had sleepovers, even once with Tootie, wherein he was delighted to wake up _not_ tied to the bed, but this... Somehow seemed more intimate, the idea of sleeping in the same bed as Vicki, his girlfriend(?), made the teen flush red as he felt an odd, mildly unpleasant warmth sweep over him...

A few minutes later, and Timmy Turner found himself lying completely flat on his back under his rather large comforter, the girl next to him having draped her left arm over his chest, and her left leg across both of his. His own left arm trapped was now between her breasts, keeping it from going anywhere, even if the brunet _wasn't_ already too scared to move.

At the foot of his bed laid the blanket that the teen had fetched for her, now forgotten in favor of the much larger(and warmer) comforter. And Vicki(he assumed because she knew it would make him nervous), had opted to take off her jeans _and_ shirt, leaving her in a black bra and matching panties. To say Timmy was uncomfortable would be an understatement... Not that he minded the coolness of her bare legs against his own, since he too had stripped down to just his boxers...

"Isn't this nice...?" Vicki whispered into her bedmate's ear huskily. Despite her earlier plans of essentially taking advantage of a minor, the woman had to admit(much to her chagrin) that she _did_ enjoy just sharing Timmy's bed with him and cuddling close to him like this. Her other boyfriends hadn't been so keen on _just_ cuddling, which was probably why they didn't work, now that she thought about it. If anyone was going to set the pace of the relationship, it was going to be her, that's who she was, and no one was gonna change her mind on that.

"Kind of..." Timmy shifted in her grasp a little, trying to get comfortable enough to ignore the warmth radiating off his body. It was starting to make him sweat, which was odd, since the air conditioner was still set to full blast. Usually he'd be somewhat cold, even with his comforter, but something was making his body give off more heat than usual, making his heart beat faster, and... causing an odd sensation down near his lower abdomen... "Does it seem hot in here to you?" the teen fanned his face with his free hand, allowing just a tiny amount of cold air to wash over him, cooling the dampness of his skin that had been brought about from sweating.

"Nope. I'm fine... I think you're just nervous from the situation..." Vicki ran her cool fingers down Timmy's chest, stopping just before reaching the waistband of his boxers and sliding them back up his chest teasingly. "Didn't I tell you to relax? You're lying here, stiff as a board!" _"__And you're just trying to make him stiffer!" "Didn't I tell you to shut up? For someone who's basically me, you sure are boring..." _Vicki argued with her conscience again, growing tired of its questioning her judgment. Timmy and her were in bed, more than half naked, she was _not_ about to chicken out now!

"Maybe... Talking about something will help me relax?" the brunet offered hesitantly. There was only one thing to talk about on his mind, and it was _the_ talk.

"Talking..." Vicki considered what he said for a second. "Talking can come... later. For now..." she pulled herself over, laying down on top of Timmy like she had during their escapade in the vents, arms threaded under his, and her legs parted to accommodate his own, only now, he was actually facing her. "Kiss me."

The brunet audibly gulped upon hearing his babysitter's suggestion."H-how will that help me relax?" Sure, he enjoyed the little peck his babysitter had given him on his cheek, but...

"Worth a shot, isn't it?" she grinned at him, a light dusting of pink now visible on her cheeks.

"Okay..." Timmy found himself torn. Between wanting to trust Vicki's judgment, and the knowledge that kissing a girl would most certainly _not_ help him relax. "Um..." he tried to lean up and pursed his lips slightly, only to realize this wasn't a particularly easy feat with the girl lying on top of him. "I can't really... Unless you get off...?"

"Try." her grin remained, she was determined to make him work _a little_, even if her Twerp didn't have the slightest clue as to what he was working toward.

Realizing she wasn't about to get off of him, Timmy thought about the best way to follow her command. The only options he saw before him were shoving the red-head off, or using her as leverage to pull himself up. Going for the second choice, considering that the first would probably earn him bodily harm, the brunet delicately looped his arms around Vicki and pulled himself up.

"_Not bad-"_ the twenty year-old's thought process was almost instantly cut off as she felt Timmy's lips. Against her cheek. He lingered for little more than half a second, before dropping back onto the bed.

"I... don't feel all that relaxed, Vicki..." he looked up at her quizzically. All kissing her cheek had done was make his blush burn a little warmer.

"That wasn't my mouth."

"Yo-your mouth?" he asked shakily. "You... didn't say to kiss your mouth..." Now he felt as if he'd been tossed out into the jungle without any survival training at all. The only time he'd been kissed on the mouth had been... When Tootie forced such a kiss on him, and he wasn't exactly keen on reliving an experience like that... He knew that his parents(and people in general) occasionally gave each other quick little pecks on the lips, but... Was _that_ what she meant?

"_Right... forgot for a second that he's got _no_ experience here..." "So what? You plan on being his teacher?" _Vicki smirked at this idea. She _would_ have to be his teacher, wouldn't she? "It's what I meant. You want me to... show you?"

"Um-"

"Good enough!" sinking her head down to meet Timmy's, Vicki quickly brought her lips into a light collision with his for just a second, then pulled away. "So...?"

"That's... it?" the brunet removed his left hand from its position on Vicki's back and brought it up to gently touch his lips. They felt... a little tingly.

"Don't sound so disappointed!" the red-head giggled.

"I! I didn't mean to! Just... It felt kind of... nice..." he again remembered a similar kiss he'd received from Tootie. At the time, her approach had been so forceful that his lips were sore afterward, likely because she had literally _crashed_ her lips into his.

"Confirming I'm a good kisser, something I already knew, but love to hear all the same. This time..." Vicki sank down again, brushing her forehead against Timmy's and stopping just before her lips touched his. "How 'bout you try kissing back?"

"Kiss you back?"

Vicki pulled back a few inches to look at him. "Yeah, move in like you did before, when you kissed my cheek... Just try to stay on target. I kiss you, you kiss me, got it?"

"Um... Okay..." the brunet had absolutely no idea where his babysitter was going with this, but none of it seemed particularly evil, so that was a start, right? He leaned up again, this time being met by Vicki halfway as both parties' lips met in a(relatively) innocent kiss. He settled back down on the bed as she pulled away, again feeling a slight tingling sensation on his lips, though this kiss had been accompanied by a slight spark, similar to the one at the mall, yet not quite the same.

"You catch on fast..." she smiled down at him lustfully, exposing her teeth. They were both taking this _painfully _slowly, but she was enjoying it all the same, and from the look on the Twerp's face, he was too. "Now... I know I said there'd be talking, and there will be, but I think this next part'll go easier if you just follow my lead, 'kay?"

Timmy nodded.

"Okay then." again, she leaned down, and again, their lips met. This time though, the red-head brushed her tongue against Timmy's lower lip, making him just barely flinch, but not break the kiss. It did not, however, have the intended effect either, making the girl pull away.

"Did I-" Timmy began.

"When I do that with my tongue, that's your cue to open your mouth, got it?" there was a hint of anger in her voice, not because she was mad, but to indicate that she was the dominant party here.

Another nod, this one significantly more hesitant. "You... want me to open my mouth, got it."

"...Good." Now, she felt herself hesitate. She hadn't meant to come off as angry or mean, and that little outburst could've been avoided if she'd simply told him her intentions. _"Aw... Someone getting cold feet in the face of JAILBAIT?!" "Another outburst like that, and I'm ramming my head into a wall to Shut. You. Up." Forcing_ her conscience down to the best of her ability, Vicki once more dipped down into a kiss with Timmy, again brushing her tongue against his lips, and darting it into his mouth as they parted.

The brunet shuddered at the feeling of the foreign body in his mouth, it felt like his and not like his at the same time, and the fact that it kept brushing against his own, occasionally coiling around it like a snake... Was both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. "Mmph..."

Taking the low moan as _her_ cue to stop, Vicki pulled away and looked at the brunet, now trying to catch his breath. "Okay... So, two things. One, you already know to close your eyes when you kiss, and two... Whaddya think?"

"I think... you taste like pink lemonade." Timmy returned both of his hands to her back, and quickly realized she was right, he _did_ feel a little more relaxed, enough so that he wasn't sweating as much, and didn't feel too nervous to touch her now.

"I meant, what did you think of the kiss? Like it? Not like it? ...I'd ask if you hated it, but that _clearly_ isn't the case, so?"

"Well... It was nice..." he met Vicki's gaze, and felt like she was trying to coax the truth out of him with nary more than a smile. "It was _really_ nice..."

"Good answer." she moved in closer, allowing his hands to roam more freely across her back, several times stopping as they touched the fabric and straps of her bra, before moving on, pretending they weren't interested in the obviously _very_ interesting piece of clothing. "Want me to get rid of that?"

Timmy blushed as he understood he'd been caught, though not for the same reason that one would think. The teen merely wanted to even the playing field. If he was only wearing his underwear, why not have her be in the same situation? At the same time, he did know what the reason for the article of clothing was, just as he knew what it hid. That particular area of the female body had roused his curiosity long before he was a teenager, age had only increased his interest in it. "If... you're alright with it..."

_SNAP_

Knowing where the conversation was headed, Vicki preempted the teen and undid the clasp on her bra, not being in the mood to wait while he fumbled with it for three hours, and quickly snaked her arms out of it, then tossed it onto the floor. "Now that _that's_ outta the way..."

He would've agreed... Except now Timmy was what was in the way! The way she was pressing against him at the moment... Meant that he wasn't getting an eyeful of much of anything except the tops of Vicki's breasts. It was at this point that his own state of undress, coupled with hers, made a lightbulb turn on in the brunet's head. "D-don't people... usually do everything we're doing when they're about... About to have-"

"Sex?" she interrupted him with an evil grin. "Isn't that where you were expecting all this to lead?"

"Y-you said you'd teach me about part two of 'the talk', you never said we'd... do _that_..." The teen felt uneasy all over again. His palms were sweating, the rest of him was quickly following, he was shaking a little, and... there was... a certain uncomfortable feeling in his boxers... Not just heat, his penis(yes, he knew what it was called!) felt... Well, hard. Not to say this was the first time it happened(morning wood, anyone?), but it seemed that... His closeness with Vicki was what brought this particular episode on... And he couldn't exactly ignore it this time!

"Hm..." the red-head hummed, loud enough that with her chest pressing against his, he could feel the vibrations of her voice in his lungs. "We don't _have_ to... If you really don't want to." Vicki offered with no hesitation. If Timmy _really_ didn't want to, then she wouldn't push it. And it would appease that pain in the ass conscience of hers too.

"I... I'm not really sure... It... Won't hurt, will it?"

She smirked at him, both at how cute he was when he was unsure and scared, and at the fact he was asking her in such a way that showed he truly valued her input. "Only if you want it to."

"_If I _want _it to? What does that even mean?"_ The brunet thought to himself, struggling to even form coherent thoughts now, as the dull ache in his privates increased minutely. How could this thing called sex, something that Vicki was seemingly working towards, even _be_ something to work towards? At the mall, she had made it seem like it was something that people do when they love each other, and Timmy could admit that he _did like_ her, but now... and she could make it _hurt_? Even if she'd given him the option to, _why_ do something if it was uncomfortable? The brunet had become intimately familiar with pain while being bullied by Francis, and as such, knew that pain was to be avoided at all costs... So why was she _offering_ it to him? It didn't make any sense! "I-If it's all t-the same to y-you... I'd-"

"Hold that thought!" the red-head reached up and placed her index finger over Timmy's lips again.

"Mm?" he looked up at her, sincerely hoping that he'd get the chance to tell her he'd rather _not_ have his first time be painful.

"Before we go any further..." Vicki paused, musing on an idea that suddenly popped into her head, and thanking whatever deity that was listening that her conscience had apparently gone off to do its own thing, for now. "I want you to kiss me." she pulled her finger away from the teen's mouth as she finished, allowing him to speak.

"I- Didn't I already kiss you?" As annoying and detrimental to the brunet's health as they had been, Timmy found himself mentally wishing he had his psychic powers again. Reading Vicki's mind would be a huge help right now, at least then he'd have some idea as to what she wanted, and what they were about to do, rather than just follow her lead as she gave him little cryptic clues...

"Except last time, _I_ did most of the work. This time, I want _you_ to kiss _me_, got it?" Vicki shifted slightly as she spoke, seeing the clear hesitation on her Twerp's face. _"Maybe... Oh! I know!"_ Lifting herself up with her arms, Vicki positioned herself on her knees and placed her hands on Timmy's hips, then pushed him to the right as she dropped to the left, keeping her grip on him as she reversed their positions, so she was on her back, and he was on top of her, before releasing him and letting him drop down onto her chest. "Better?"

The brunet quickly got over the sudden shock of being twisted around as if in some weird dance with the woman and lifted himself up a bit with his arms, no longer being quite as preoccupied from being pinned underneath her. Of course, being that he was still a bit shorter than her, Timmy's eyes fell on an area a bit lower than her face...

As was stated before, this was not technically the first time the teen had seen breasts, but it _was_ the first time he'd seen them unimpeded by clothing. And he quickly learned that, yes, they were one of the most interesting sights in the world.

Vicki watched Timmy with a hint of amusement as his brain crashed for what had to be... Well, getting close to the same number of times that he'd blushed, actually. For a brief few seconds, she wondered if he realized his hand was closing in on her left- "Hey."

"Hm?" Timmy's gaze snapped from her chest to her face, his hand remaining in the air, inches away from landing on her breast.

"Typical male gaze..." she rolled her eyes. Despite admitting that she knew she was a fine example of the female human body(and totally not a narcissist in any way), she could not for the life of her understand every male-she'd-dated's fixation with her boobs! It wasn't as if they were particularly impressive; far as the red-head was concerned, they fit her body rather well... She found her gaze had shifted from meeting the brunet's to looking at her own chest, which in turn caused said brunet's gaze to look at the same thing she was. _This_ revelation made her blush. "You... still haven't kissed me."

"Oh! Um... Right." Averting his eyes from her somehow _very_ inviting chest, Timmy slid up the bed, trying to calm his heartbeat as the action of rubbing against Vicki made him shudder. So far, her little lesson on 'part two' had done little to assuage his nervousness, the kiss had calmed him down some, for sure, but once the red-head revealed her intentions... It had brought on a whole new level of nervousness to the teen.

As he moved in to kiss her again, the teen felt his still-hard member press against... Whatever he assumed Vicki's own underwear was hiding. At the moment, his mind couldn't quite remember what she had called it, but whatever it was called, it was warm, similarly to how he felt in the same area right now. Attempting to ignore it, Timmy pressed on, trying to get closer once more and initiate a kiss, but instead unconsciously releasing a moan as his erection pressed against her.

Vicki smirked at that, then had to cover her mouth to keep from giggling too loudly as Timmy's face turned beet-red and he covered his own mouth. "I-I'm not... Laughing at you... Pfft! Hahaha! ...Okay... maybe a little!"

"...I'm-I'm gonna get to sleep on the floor n-now..."

"Oh no you don't!" with the amused grin still on her face, Vicki looped her arms around the brunet before he could even _begin_ to move off of her. "Seriously? Relax and lighten up."

Much as he wanted to after being laughed at, the brunet didn't bother trying to squirm out of Vicki's grip, opting instead to sigh(more dramatically than necessary) and lightly headbutt her. "You're mean."

"...We _have_ met, right? Vicki? Evil babysitter? I generally spent my time torturing you mentally for like, the better part of four years? Ringin' any bells here?"

"_Oh why did I ever think being in a relationship would change a person?"_ "You could still try to be a _little_ nicer..." the brunet glanced away and muttered.

"How nice do you want me to be?" Vicki began in a clearly amused tone. "You're the one on top, I haven't slapped you for looking at my chest, and I'm practically _giving _myself to you here! Pretty sure if I was any nicer, it might actually kill me... Also, you _still_ haven't kissed me!" the red-head narrowed her eyes at Timmy, though the playful grin remained.

Ignoring the soreness in his privates, the teen lowered himself into another kiss, doing his best to mirror Vicki's earlier actions as he shyly brushed his own tongue against her lips. As he expected, the red-head opened her mouth, bidding him to deepen the kiss as she had when their roles were reversed...

Except he hesitated again, suddenly remembering his fear of Vicki's mouth possibly containing razor sharp fangs, rather than normal human teeth. This moment of hesitation did not go unnoticed however, as he felt the girl's own tongue dart out of her mouth and brush his, a casual(if somewhat obvious) way to try and get the teen to kiss her back.

Taking the gesture for what it seemed to be, Timmy attempted the same action that Vicki had, slipping his(admittedly inexperienced) tongue into her mouth, only to have hers re-assert its owner's dominance and seem to coil around his, briefly making the teen wonder if Vicki was part snake. Pulling back to try and breathe, Timmy found he'd almost succeeded, only for the girl's teeth to lightly clamp down on his tongue, effectively trapping him with the assumption that if he moved, she might bite him.

"Um...?" he stared down at her, his eyes pleading for her not to bite down.

"Hm." Vicki opened slackened her bite by the slightest amount, allowing the brunet to have his tongue back. "You didn't actually think I'd bite you, did you?"

"...Kind of..." Timmy pulled back slightly, realizing that, even with his current position, he was most definitely _not_ in control of this situation.

"Well, if it's any consolation, you _are_ getting better at kissing, which, you already weren't bad, so... How 'bout we go again?" Vicki released him and reached up to caress his cheek with her right hand, smirking again as he leaned into her touch and closed his eyes. _"Aw... Ain't he cute?"_

After a few seconds, the brunet cracked an eye open to look at the red-head. "You... aren't gonna bite me again, right?"

"Only if you want me to." she winked at him, which only caused the teen to open his other eye and look at her seriously, his expression a threat of leaving should she not give him a real answer. "Ugh. Fine, no biting." Vicki crossed her arms, covering her chest.

Happy that he'd gotten _somewhere_, Timmy sank back down, seeing Vicki uncross her arms and wrap them back around him as he moved in for a kiss, only for her to move her head away at the last second, causing his lips to collide with the side of her neck, rather than her mouth. He lingered for a second, wondering if he'd screwed up, and why she'd essentially forced him to.

"You're good."

He was good? What did that mean? He had missed his target, the one she so clearly indicated to and told him he was supposed to hit, _how_ was he good? Pulling away again, Timmy shot the red-head a quizzical look now. "You... _don't_ want me to kiss your mouth?"

"Nope. Try somewhere else. Don't you know anything about fore... play...? ...Right... Um... So, in these types of situations, the boy is... supposed to make the girl feel good, follow?"

Timmy nodded.

"Okay. So..." _"I am _so_ going to Hell for this..." _"I've told you how to kiss, and that you're supposed to try and make me feel good... So... Get to it?" Vicki's blush darkened a little, hoping that Timmy was smart enough to figure out the rest without too much prodding...

The brunet nodded again, this time more hesitantly, then sank down and kissed her neck, lightly brushing the smooth skin with his tongue.

"_Points for originality."_ Vicki mentally deadpanned. "Try lower." A kiss at her collarbone sent a weak shiver up her spine.

Beginning to have an understanding for what she wanted him to do(and feeling the light dusting of goosebumps break out over her skin when he kissed her collarbone), Timmy continued his determined(if embarrassing) assault, moving a few centimeters lower with each kiss, occasionally lingering for an extra second or two if he brought a positive reaction out of his babysitter.

For a while, the brunet figured he was doing well, until his lips brushed her right breast, specifically, the area of light pink skin commonly known as a nipple. The contact made Vicki gasp quietly, though loud enough that Timmy heard it, and quickly pulled away, thinking he'd done something wrong. "Vicki?"

"S-still good. Keep-keep going..." it didn't take a rocket scientist for the red-head to know that her little gasp hadn't gone unnoticed, and in truth, she didn't want it to. She felt his mouth cover her nipple again, enjoyed the feeling of him lightly sucking at it, dragging his tongue across it... And thanked her lucky stars that Timmy wasn't petty enough to return her love bite from earlier. Those front teeth could probably do some damage!

Figuring he could try and get another cute little noise out of his babysitter, the brunet moved lower, now kissing the area just above her navel and moving ever lower, dragging his tongue across her skin as he did and making more little goosebumps break out across her abdomen. At this point, he wasn't even sure what he was doing, his actions felt more like instinct than something he'd been taught, as if he was simply following the direction of some other part of his brain. He stopped as his tongue hit an obstruction, namely the waistband of Vicki's panties, and decided to try moving back up, only to find that he couldn't. Some force that oddly felt like the red-head's hands was in his hair, keeping him from moving back up. Unsure of how to proceed, Timmy sat up and looked at her questioningly.

"W-why'd you stop?" there was an uncharacteristic shudder to her voice now, a mildly pleading quality that hadn't been there before.

And the teen could admit, it was kind of cute, for some reason. "I can't uh... Kiss your underwear... Unless you want me to?" Which would be odd. Underwear wasn't a second skin... Or it couldn't _feel_ things like skin could...

"Then _maybe_ you should...? Come on now, I know you're smart..." she quirked an eyebrow up at Timmy as she rubbed her knees against his hips, making his boxers slide down a little.

Realizing her intentions, Timmy audibly gulped once again. "You... want me to take off your... underwear?"

"What?! No!" Vicki pulled her legs up to her chest so Timmy wasn't between them. "_I'm_ going to do _that_!" Slipping the thumb and index finger of each hand into the waistband of her panties, the red-head quickly lifted them up her legs until they were off, then tossed the underwear away with her foot and laid her legs back down to Timmy's left, crossing them as she did. "I'll give you a sec to appreciate the view."

Though he'd received little more than a glimpse of what Vicki's underwear hid, it was enough for Timmy to see that, as she had told him back at the mall, his 'equipment' was significantly different from hers. She'd even told him what _that_ down there was, but for the moment, he couldn't quite remember _what_ she had called it... _"Something beginning with a 'v'..."_ Right now, all he could see was Vicki's crossed legs, covering up her- "Vagina!" the brunet shouted triumphantly, finally remembering the word. His shout was almost immediately followed by a loud slapping sound, making him look up to see that Vicki had facepalmed, the parts of her face visible through her fingers now beet-red.

"Are- are you like, two years old or something?!" her voice sounded shaky to the both of them now, clearly embarrassed at Timmy's blurting out _that_ word.

"No... I just- Um... I couldn't think of the word you told me at the mall, so I-"

"So you shouted it out like a toddler who's just heard a swear for the first time." Vicki deadpanned.

Oh right, they _had_ gone over that, hadn't they? According to Vicki, you weren't supposed to go around shouting those words. It was indecent. "Are... you blushing?" Timmy tried(in vain) to hide the amusement in his voice. First with her sounding a little pleading, now his babysitter was blushing as red as... Well, he'd been earlier?

"Let's see... I'm naked in front of a kid I've babysat for the past six years, _he's_ almost as naked as I am, and to top it off, he just shouted the word 'vagina' throughout the house... Yeah, it's safe to say that I'm a bit flustered right about now." she peeked out between her fingers as she finished. Normally, she'd never admit to Timmy that he had succeeded in such a feat, but... She _was_ naked. And she _was_ blushing like an idiot. Hiding it seemed pretty pointless to her. Her peeking was met with the brunet looking at her somewhat confidently, making her move her hand away from her face. "I guess _you_ seeing me like this isn't so bad... As you were."

Timmy looked down at the space between her legs, now showing little more than a small tuft of red hair. "You want me to... kiss you... down there...?"

The red-head's blush faded a little, but remained as she rubbed her thighs together. That feeling she was familiar with down between her legs was starting to intensify, likely in anticipation from Timmy finally catching on. Honestly, she was beginning to feel a little self-conscious from the brunet just _staring_ at her. This was easily the furthest she'd ever gone, sexually speaking, and she still had every intention of taking it further, but that did little to quell the nervousness she was feeling... "Hurry up..." she mumbled out.

"Huh?" Timmy placed his hand on Vicki's hip for balance as he leaned in close to try and hear her.

"Don't you even _try_ to mess with me... Hurry up...!" the dangerous tone was back in her voice, only brought out because the red-head thought he _was_ teasing her.

Said tone did not go unnoticed by Timmy, who shrank back upon hearing it, but realized he was safe when Vicki stayed right where she was. He dipped back down and kissed the spot just below her navel, bringing another light shudder out of the older girl. _"It's... kind of weird that she wants me to kiss her... down _there_, but... If she really likes it and wants me to..."_ Another kiss, this one just above the tuft of red hair, and Timmy realized there was a slight problem with continuing; namely that Vicki's legs were still closed rather tightly. "Um... Vicki?" he lifted himself up to look at her, just in time to see her left leg move up and around him, wherein her foot settled on his back and roughly pushed him towards her, causing his face to land on her stomach, and the fairly obvious erection in his boxers to press against her entrance, eliciting a low hiss from the red-head, and something just short of a moan from the brunet.

For several seconds, neither party moved. Timmy because he was shocked by the absolute oddness of what he'd just felt, and Vicki because she was still waiting for him to continue. Not to say it was a _bad_ feeling, but the sheer intensity of it had almost knocked the wind out of him.

"If... If you're having second thoughts... Now's the time to tell me..." Again, this was not Vicki feeling bad for taking advantage of a minor, this was her giving said minor the option to not go any farther. Her mindset was that she'd prefer him actually _wanting_ this, rather than having it forced upon him.

"N-no... Just... just _that_ and... Wow..." Timmy shakily lifted himself up off of Vicki, remembering his previous task.

"And just think, we haven't even gotten to the best part!" _"And never will, at this rate..."_

"The... sex?"

Once again, Vicki facepalmed. _"I don't have the patience to be a teacher..."_ "Just... do what comes naturally." she shrugged while keeping her gaze focused predominantly on the ceiling.

"Okay..." placing either hand on Vicki's legs, the brunet pulled them apart to free himself, surprised to find that she didn't really offer much resistance to this action. Once freed, Timmy moved back and dipped his head down to match the level of Vicki's privates, finding that what he saw _kind_ _of_ looked like another set of lips, though they were aligned vertically. Out of the corner of his eye, Timmy noticed her thighs twitch slightly, closing by the smallest amount.

"Maybe you should take a picture. It'll last longer."

The teen glanced up again at Vicki, realizing he was probably keeping her waiting, then turned his attention back to her vagina and leaned in, pressing his lips to it, as he'd done with her lips and several other areas of her body earlier. As he did, he felt her thighs close in a bit more, though he still had plenty of room. As before, he also lightly dabbed at her with his tongue, occasionally brushing it against this second set of lips and finding that(with a little encouragement from his tongue) these lips parted too. Assuming that this was his cue again, the brunet slipped his tongue in like before, finding a different taste than when he kissed her mouth. _That_ had tasted like the pink lemonade she'd drank earlier. _This_... Was different. Indescribably so, though not unpleasant. There was literally nothing he could really compare it to, this being his first time with a girl, but there _was_ one thing he did know: Whatever the taste was... He liked it. He _really_ liked it. His earlier uneasiness for his current task thrown to the wind, the teen followed his babysitter's advice and did what came naturally... Which amounted to him hooking his arms around her thighs so he could pull himself closer to her, allowing him to push his tongue deeper into her and taste even more of her.

Vicki; meanwhile, was trying as hard as she'd ever tried anything to not squeeze the brunet's head between her legs. "Ahn..." The red-head quietly gasped as she realized that _she_ had been the one to moan that time. She lifted her head to look down at Timmy to see that he either ignored the moan, or hadn't heard it, as his face stayed where it was. Granted, she _had_ told him that he was supposed to please her... _"And is he _ever_..."_ The girl wanted to question how he'd become so good so quick, but her thought process was interrupted as a wave of pleasure shot through her, making her shudder and tightly grip the bedsheets. It occurred to her that the teen probably had no idea _what_ he was doing, nor that he was doing it so well...

Timmy, on the other hand, wasn't quite as oblivious as his babysitter thought, he did hear the moan she let out, just as he did notice the little squirms, shudders, and twitches her body made as he slid his tongue along the insides of her- _"What was it called again?"_ The very first time had almost made the brunet stop and ask if she was okay, but he opted not to ask and instead continued licking her, which, seemed to be what she _actually_ wanted, since she didn't ask him to stop, and kept making little noises now and again. He just hoped something would happen soon, the soreness in his privates was starting to get to him, and it was now joined by a milder soreness in his tongue. Cracking an eye open(and hoping Vicki wouldn't notice, considering the fact that she told him he was supposed to keep his eyes closed when kissing her), he noticed a small, pinkish... _thing_, at the top of her... _"C'mon... Begins with a 'v'!"_ Under the assumption that this new target was fair game, he pulled away and moved up slightly, giving it the same treatment as the rest of her as he kissed, then brushed his tongue against it, bringing out a sound akin to a squeak from Vicki as she suddenly sat up and grabbed his head with both hands, roughly threading her fingers through his hair.

The red-head let out a _very _shaky breath as she tried to collect her thoughts and form a coherent sentence. "H-hold on a sec... Just... Just gimme like- Like two-Ah!" She felt Timmy's tongue slide over _that_ spot again, moving over and around it, trying to coil around it like he had with her own tongue. "I s-said t-to stop..." She mentally cursed herself, realizing that she was very nearly whining now. "Or... n-no, _don't_ stop...!" Vicki fell back down onto the bed, bumping her head on the headboard as she did, but mostly ignored the pain over the intense pleasure she was feeling. She brought her index finger up to her mouth, biting down on it to muffle another moan and arching her back as her mind nearly went blank, signaling she had reached her peak... And quickly tumbled right off it. "Hah... Hah... Heheh... Wow..."

The brunet pulled away after he felt her insides tighten around his tongue, and upon hearing her speak, looking up at her to see that she was apparently quite out of breath. "Are... you okay?" Evidently, he'd done something _very_ right after she told him _not_ to stop, but now he found himself somewhat concerned. She was sweating a lot more now than she had been before, and her arm was thrown over her face to cover her eyes. "Um... Vicki?" The teen moved up alongside his babysitter, settling in next to her to try and meet her gaze. He opened his mouth to speak again, but was cut off this time as Vicki suddenly reached for him, wrapping her arms around him as her forehead collided with his, even her legs seemed to be trying to coil themselves around his own. He was momentarily surprised by this, thinking that, by the way she was breathing, she wouldn't have the energy to move as quickly as she did, but relaxed as she affectionately rubbed her nose against his.

"I'm alright... Just... Wow..." she giggled as she finished, tightening her grip on Timmy by the smallest amount. "_That_ was awesome..."

The brunet smiled at this, yep, he had done something right, judging by how affectionate she was being. He'd never pegged Vicki as being the type to cuddle up with someone, not like she was now, anyway. "So... do you want to keep going?" he watched as the red-head refocused her gaze on him and smiled at him lustfully.

"Well, fair's fair, I suppose..." slowly, Vicki untangled her arms and legs from around Timmy and pushed herself up so she was back on top, effectively straddling the teen, with his member now pressing once more against her vagina. The action brought another low noise out of her, and she braced herself with her arms as she nearly tipped over.

"You sure you're okay?" Timmy asked worriedly. He'd never seen Vicki quite like this before... The closest she had ever come to her current behavior was when she stayed over after having 'a little too much to drink'. Nothing like _this_ happened, but she seemed kind of out of it back then. She also told Timmy to keep the fact that she'd 'drank' under his hat.

"Do I not look okay?" her voice was tinged with annoyance as she narrowed her eyes at him. In addition, her hair was matted and messy, there was a sheen of sweat across most of her skin, and each breath still came out sounding labored.

"You look like you're about to collapse from exhaustion." Timmy deadpanned.

"You wanna find out why?" Rather than wait for an answer, Vicki moved back, allowing herself a better view of Timmy's boxers, then slipped her index fingers into the waistband before yanking the article of clothing down and off the teen's legs.

"D-did it um... Just get colder in here?" He now had an appreciation for how Vicki must've felt when their positions were reversed, and found that he wasn't entirely comfortable with the silence she was giving him as she presumably stared at his erection. Timmy moved to sit up, and was quickly pushed back down as the red-head laid herself down back on top of him. "Gah...!" he inhaled sharply as he felt cold fingers wrap around a _certain_ part of his anatomy. "Did- did it j-just get _r-really_ cold in here?!"

"Oh, don't worry. You and I'll both heat up in a sec. Or... a couple of _secs_." With her body pressed against Timmy's, she didn't exactly have a good view of what she was doing, but the combination of the quick glance she'd gotten at his penis, coupled with the fact that she was currently _holding _it, did allow her to come up with a rough estimate of its size, which she guessed to be around five or six inches. The red-head guided the brunet's member to her entrance, then stopped, teasingly allowing little more than the tip to rub up against her as she held herself up over him.

The action made the brunet's hips unconsciously buck upward as he braced himself against the mattress, though Vicki raised herself up in kind, keeping him from actually entering her. "V-Vicki..." Timmy wasn't sure why she was torturing him like this, but this torture was so much worse than any mental torture she'd ever done to him. An intense wave of pleasure hit him, making it feel like every nerve ending in his body had been electrified and burned at the same time.

"Aw... Are you begging your babysitter to have sex with you? Judging by how you feel down there, this must seem like the worst torture _ever_, huh?" Actually, it was. For the both of them. The red-head was still feeling a fair amount of sensitivity in her privates, and judging how shakily each breath came out from Timmy, she guessed the brunet wouldn't last very long. She flinched as she felt the teen's hands slide over her hips... And come to a stop on her rear-end, one hand on each buttock, bringing her little teasing game to an end, she was too fatigued at this point to push herself up if he was going to hold her down... And it's not like she really wanted to anyway. "Hey... You're getting pret-ty good at this, aren't ya?" She brought both hands up to weakly grip his shoulders.

Timmy chose not to respond, opting instead to buck his hips upward(this time very much consciously) while holding Vicki in place, sending his entire length into her, eliciting another audible squeak from the red-head as she dug her nails into his skin, making him yelp out in pain.

"Ah... S-sorry..." Vicki squirmed slightly at the feeling of him being inside her, it obviously being significantly different from when he'd simply been using his tongue. Though her squeak hadn't been because it hurt; on the contrary, it felt _good_, she'd just been surprised by how sudden it was. "T-try to remember that we're fucking, you're not supposed to _stab_ me, okay?"

Timmy winced at her usage of such foul language, but nodded in understanding. At least now he could understand her change in demeanor after he'd had his fun with her a few minutes earlier. Most of his thoughts were now being pushed down in favor of appreciating this moment, and the feelings it brought. What was even stranger was the sensation he felt when he entered her though. It was not unlike the feeling of almost careening off the side of a cliff, except it was his mind that felt that, not his body... Whatever it was, the teen found he was not averse to the idea of testing how far the sensation could go... If this was what Vicki had felt when she suddenly sat up and told him to stop... Then he could certainly understand, to an extent, why she did what she did.

Seeing the somewhat glazed over look in the brunet's eyes, Vicki pushed herself up so she was straddling the teen, who slid his hands onto her hips in response to her new position. _"Good, he's not a complete zombie..."_ She raised herself up, nearly completely off of him, before lowering herself back down, feeling his grip on her waist tighten as she reached the base of her descent. It took her a great deal of willpower to stifle the little noises her mouth tried to get out with each thrust downward, though it seemed her companion didn't have that problem, or, he didn't bother trying to hide them, rather. The first few times he had entered her all the way, Vicki felt his grip tighten on her hips as he made a cute little noise, but he stayed still, for the most part. Now that she'd fallen into a rhythm(of sorts), the brunet would occasionally meet her downward motion with an upward thrust of his own, bracing himself against her, trying to match her pace.

Timmy; however, couldn't keep this pace going for long. He knew that she said it was her turn to make him feel good... But that was about all he knew. His head felt like it was swimming now, the only things keeping him going seemed to be instinct, and a desire to see how far he could push this tingly, ever-coiling and tightening feeling in him before it broke... And what would happen when it did break? The same thing that happened to Vicki earlier? The brunet lost his chance to wonder further as the intense pleasure reached a silent crescendo in him, making his hips buck upward one more time as... _something_ came out of his penis, shooting into Vicki... And suddenly made him feel very, very tired.

The red-head took notice of this and laid herself back down on top of Timmy, smirking as he looped his arms around her like she had done to him, and snaking her own arms around his neck in response. "So... Was it good for you?"

Still trying to catch his breath, the brunet reached down near his and Vicki's legs, grasping the comforter and pulling it over the both of them. "L-like you n-need to ask?" He felt exhausted, but not in a bad way. He was somehow very content just lying in bed now, enjoying Vicki's closeness.

She smirked at that, then leaned in to give him a quick peck on the lips. "And just think, we've got the _whole_ weekend to ourselves!"

"I'm not gonna be getting much sleep, am I?"

"'Fraid not."


	8. And Then?

"Strange." Tootie breathed the word out, accompanied by a sigh. The word was the best she could come up with to describe the recent events that had befallen her normally oh so _boring _life. This was not to say that she disliked the change. On the contrary, some excitement was exactly what she needed in her life.

Of course, you had to take into account just _how much_ excitement had recently come into her life, and the answer was: quite a lot. Forgetting her sister's birthday, throwing said sister her first _ever_ birthday... or so Vicki claimed, she could be melodramatic at times. Tootie was six years Vicki's junior, so it's entirely possible that their parents did indeed throw her birthday parties before Tootie was born, and the red-head had simply forgotten out of convenience to make their mother and father sound worse. She didn't like to make her sister sound mean, but... This _was_ still Vicki, after all.

Regardless, Friday had been a strange day, and that was putting it mildly. Chester's advances, AJ almost catching them, then going for Trixie?! Tootie had always figured Veronica to be more his type... "Shows what I know about matchmaking..." Then there was her sister actually acting _nice_? What could've brought that on? She still hadn't gotten a chance to ask Timmy what was up with that hug, nor what brought on making Vicki act normal in front of Chester and AJ! And Vicki being okay with her dating Chester?! "Argh! It doesn't make any sense!"

"...Tootie? Honey, are you okay?"

The raven-haired girl looked up at her mother, now remembering where she was. "Yeah, it's just been a crazy couple of days..." Currently, they were on their way to the mall, Tootie and her friends' favorite place to hang out.

"Crazy enough to make you talk to yourself?" Nicki looked at her daughter with a playful smirk. She was in a relatively good mood herself after the past few days' events, mostly Friday, in regards to her reconciliation with Vicki. Obviously she didn't expect things to even out overnight, there were several years of healing that still needed to take place, but her eldest daughter had called her on Saturday, and they talked fairly amicably for a few hours. During that time, Vicki sounded like she was in relatively good spirits, though she wouldn't elaborate on why...

"Mom, I talked to myself long before last Friday, you know that." Tootie stated matter-of-factly.

"True, but usually you talk to yourself about some evil plan to win the heart of... What was his name again? Tommy?"

"Timmy. Timmy Turner." the girl looked at her mother almost in annoyance, remembering that Trixie used to make the same mistake, before shaking the thought from her head. She was nearly positive that Trixie did that on purpose, while her mother more than likely didn't know. She wasn't particularly keen on sharing information about boys she liked, after all. "Anyway, they say talking to yourself is something that geniuses do, so...?"

"Uh-hum... You know what else they say? That there's a fine line between genius and crazy. Be careful you don't cross it like that weirdo teacher of yours."

Tootie rolled her eyes, realizing her mom was teasing her again. "You think I'd get crazy-obsessed over Timmy, like Crocker is with fairies? C'mon, gimme a _little_ credit, mom..."

"So I should just ignore the fact that when I was cleaning your room, I found your trash bin filled to the brim with memorabilia from the Timmy Turner gift shop, right?" Nicki glanced at her daughter out of the corner of her eye and grinned slyly.

"...Y-yes, yes you should." Tootie flushed red and looked out the window, opting to watch the passing scenery, rather than meet her mother's(likely amused) gaze.

"Tootie." Nicki began in a knowing tone. "You don't have _two_ boys on the hook, do you?"

"No!" Tootie exclaimed as she turned to face her mother. "I really like Timmy, but I've gotten over my crush on him... Mostly. But I really, _really_ like Chester."

"Based on...? Aside from you two being friends for about four years now, how do you know this isn't just a passing crush like with Timmy?"

"Mom, long-term relationships are based on compatibility. I've been friends with Chester for a while now, so he and I are a natural fit. We like a lot of the same things: Video games, comics, scary movies..." _"__Then again... that's also true for me and Timmy... Huh."_ Tootie glanced over at her mother, seeing the now glazed-over look in her eyes. "I'm... Actually boring you right now, aren't I?"

Shaking her head and refocusing her gaze on the road, Nicki spoke. "Sorry, you were beginning to sound like your little friend there... Um... AJ, was it? At any rate, if you really like this boy, I'm behind you one-hundred percent. Just... no more shrine building, okay?"

"Ugh! Mom!" this brought out another blush from Tootie, making her turn away from Nicki again. "And you wonder why I told you _I'd_ clean my room!"

The pink-eyed woman giggled at how flustered her daughter had become. "I'm just teasing you, Tootie. So... When are you planning on formally introducing your father and I to your boyfriend?"

"Oh... I was thinking maybe... Never." Tootie smirked, feeling like getting in a bit of teasing herself.

"Never, huh? ...You're such a brat." Nicki rolled her eyes at Tootie's behavior, finding it oddly similar to Vicki's when she talked to her over the weekend.

"If you really want to meet him, stick around today. He's meeting me at the mall." While she was trying to tease her mother right back, she was also dead serious. Her, Timmy, Chester, and AJ were all meeting up today, on account of them having the day off from school, so if her mother really did want to meet Chester, now was her chance.

"Argh..." Nicki growled, surprising Tootie, since she'd never heard her mother actually _growl_. "Figures that it'd be something like that. _You_ may have the day off, but I'm not so lucky..."

The car stopped as they at last arrived at the Dimmsdale Mall, much to Tootie's relief. She loved talking to her mom, and that she and Vicki were trying to be a normal family, but the girl wasn't so keen on being grilled for information regarding her and Chester's fledgling relationship. "Ooh... That's too bad... Well... Love you, Mom! See you tonight!" the bespectacled girl opened the door and leapt out of her mother's car.

"Okay Honey, say 'Hi' to that cutie Timmy for me!"

"Alright Mom, I wi-" Tootie paused as the door slammed closed. Had she heard her mother right? Before she could open her mouth to speak, Nicki sped off out of the parking lot, not unlike her red-headed daughter. Shaking her head, the girl spun around to face the mall and made her way towards its entrance. Her own crush on Timmy at least made sense, he was sweet, kind, stood up for people, and was her best friend, of course she liked him. _"Just like nearly every girl in Dimmsdale does..."_ But her own mother? She didn't even know him! The only thing that made sense was that her best friend must've had some sort of animal magnetism that he had no control of, what else could it-

"Heehee! Guess who...?"

Tootie froze upon feeling cool fingers slide under her glasses and over her eyes, and the accompanying voice did little to calm the girl. Even without adding 'like' unnecessarily, Tootie knew _exactly_ who was covering her eyes. That playful-sounding voice, tipped with a hint of deviousness, how overly happy it sounded... This meeting shouldn't have surprised her in the least, really. Not hearing from the blonde all weekend meant that she'd see her eventually, though this did bring about an interesting question... "How'd you know I'd be here today?"

"You think _that's _my name?" the question was followed by another light round of giggling. "C'mon... Try a _little_ harder..."

Tootie felt her not-so-unknown assailant slip their right hand over both of her eyes as they took her glasses off with their left. "What do you want?"

"Wow! You're practically blind without your glasses, huh?"

Tootie sighed, annoyed at being ignored, and by this little game. "Veronica, if you saw a handicapped person in a wheelchair, would you launch them out of it, sit down, and roll yourself around in it while saying 'Wow! You really can't walk without this, huh?' Do you see the problem with what you're doing _now_?" She turned around as the blonde girl moved her hand. "I- What-What are you even- Heheh... Ahaha!" Tootie covered her mouth with her hand(which did little to muffle her laughter) as she looked at Veronica, who, with the Tootie's purple horn-rimmed glasses on, now looked as though she was sporting eyes that were too big for her head.

"What? I can't look _that_ funny..." the blonde quirked an eyebrow up in confusion as she took out a pink compact mirror to see herself. "Oh... I look like... a dork!" this revelation sent Veronica into her own fit of laughter as she took Tootie's glasses off and handed them back to her.

"I'm sorry, I'm not laughing at you... Okay, maybe a little!" Tootie tried to catch her breath as her giggling began to wane. "Oh... Seriously though-" the girl paused as she put her glasses back on and adjusted them. "How did you know I'd be here?"

"I didn't." Veronica shrugged.

"Bull. You just _happened_ to be at the mall as the same time as me? Sorry, but I don't buy that." Tootie crossed her arms and smirked at Veronica with a knowing expression.

"It's true. I didn't have anything to do today, with school being out, so I got my mom to drop me off. Was that your mom in the car just now?" the blonde looked at Tootie, just now noticing the girl's body language, and needing to stifle a giggle from it. Clearly she thought she looked tough, but a slightly short girl with pigtails, glasses, and some sort of schoolgirl outfit wasn't all that scary, especially when she wasn't getting right in Veronica's face and threatening her.

"Yeah, she dropped me off here since I'm meeting Timmy, Chester, and AJ... And- H-hey! Don't change the subject!" Tootie blushed at having almost been fooled. "Where's Trixie, huh? You two are always hanging out together!"

"Whoa! Ease up..." the blonde teen stuck her hands up in defense as she smiled innocently and closed her eyes. "Did I do something to piss you off?"

"Oh... I dunno... Maybe blackmailing me and Chester?!" Tootie shouted, growing even more annoyed at Veronica's light-hearted demeanor. It would be one thing if the girl was fully aware of what she was doing, and was acting accordingly, but right now... She was being friendly, something that earned her immediate distrust from Tootie.

"Blackmail? Who said anything about blackmail?" Veronica asked, genuinely confused.

"You did! When you caught me and Chester making out on the couch!" the raven-haired girl's blush darkened at having to even mention what her and Chester had been doing. "I asked that you not tell anyone, and you asked me what it was worth to us!"

In response to this, the blonde scratched her chin. "Um... Oh yeah...! I almost forgot! ...That wasn't blackmail." Veronica stated matter-of-factly.

"Y-yes it was! When you threaten to expose information about someone that could be detrimental to how people see them, then ask for something in return, _that's_ blackmail!"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but _you_ were the one to say you'd do 'anything' in exchange for my silence-"

Again, Tootie found herself shocked at how intelligent the blonde girl really was. Not to say Veronica gave off an air-headed vibe, she just seemed to be more of a follower than a leader... "W-well it doesn't matter anyway! I already told Vicki about Chester and I, so you lost your ammo against us!" she interrupted her, still shouting rather loudly.

"Good... for you?" Veronica shrugged, feeling confused all over again. "I never said I'd tell Vicki, or anyone for that matter... Or did you forget that I said I was happy for the two of you?"

"Then... What about that text you sent me? 'Don't forget about our deal'? Certainly seemed like you planned on blackmailing me!"

"That? I was joking! If I was seriously gonna tell Vicki, I'd have done it at the party. Anyone else? Why wait this long to do it? I don't have anything to gain. And finally, I. Am. Happy. For. You. Is that really so hard to believe?" The blonde girl asked, now feeling somewhat taken aback that this girl thought she was really this... Evil? She supposed evil seemed to be the right word here.

"You... You're happy for me? And it was..." On the one hand, Tootie couldn't help but feel like she was letting her obsessive, overprotective tendencies get the better of her sanity. Veronica seemed to be speaking to her quite honestly and genuinely, and she was right. If she was going to take advantage of her and Chester, it would've made sense to do it by now, rather than wait until some unknown date, by which point Tootie might've already spoken to whoever she was afraid would find out. It certainly wouldn't be the first time she was wrong...

Yet on the other hand... This girl was the same one that had been her(admittedly less outward) competition for Timmy's heart. Who could say that there wasn't still some animosity between them? Maybe this really was some elaborate blackmail plan that Tootie couldn't even _begin_ to wrap her head around. Sure, Vicki was out of the picture, but maybe Veronica could use the fact that Chester used to like her to her advantage... Or the blonde could use Tootie's waning affection for Timmy to break up her and Chester... The raven-haired girl looked up at Veronica, whose expression had gone from confused, to something decidedly more concerned... _"Why would she be concerned? For me? Why, because I look like a crazy person?!"_ As this thought graced her mind, Tootie did the one thing that made sense and facepalmed. "Ugh... I'm... sorry." Releasing a sigh, she continued. "I'll be honest, this whole time, I've thought that you were this... Horrible person that was more manipulative than Trixie, so I didn't want to risk trusting you. That's why I thought you were gonna try and break Chester and I up when you found us like that, I made the mistake of thinking that you're just like Trixie, despite the fact that Trixie isn't nearly as bad as I gave her credit for, and you're your own person."

"Okay, so-" Veronica began-

Only to get cut off as Tootie continued once more. "Trying to get over Timmy has been tough, I'll admit that. I'm still nowhere near over him, and I'm terrified that I'll either get rejected by Chester because of that, or I'll get so obsessed over Chester like I did with Timmy that I'll scare him off, even with him telling me it'll be okay and that I won't scare him away... Then there's Vicki's weird behavior, suddenly acting nice, being okay with me and Chester dating, and acting all friendly toward Timmy, and what's more, my mom might have a crush on Timmy, and you know what they say about 'like mother like daughter'. I mean, what am I supposed to do if it's like, my genetic destiny to be with Timmy? I can't even begin to _think_ about understanding that-"

Veronica stared at the raven-haired girl, mouth now agape, feeling like her head was spinning one way, and her brain spinning the opposite. All this information being unceremoniously dumped on her was sending her speeding into the beginnings of a mental coma! Stumbling forward, the blonde's hands fell on Tootie's shoulders. "Tootie!"

Being momentarily shocked by her name being shouted in her face, Tootie's eyes focused on the blonde girl, now significantly closer to her face. Enough conscious thought came to the girl for her to mouth the word "What?"

"You. That's what. You need to see a therapist or something. All these thoughts and worries? They're wearing you out, girl." Veronica reassuringly patted her hands on Tootie's shoulders, then spun her around to face the mall entrance and moved next to her, looping her arm around the shorter girl's shoulders. "Lucky for you, you've got me! C'mon, let's talk."

"O-okay...? Where are we going?" Tootie felt... strangely at ease. Odd, considering she usually felt wary around this girl... But it may have been Veronica's touchy-feely way of showing she was on her side... Or maybe it was nice to just have someone her age that she could talk to...

"Hm? We're gonna find somewhere to talk... Maybe get something to eat... Wanna get some pot?" the blonde teen flashed her new friend a devious smirk.

"W-what?!" Tootie practically shrieked, an offer of drugs being completely unexpected from the blonde's mouth.

"Just... Kidding." Veronica winked, the devious smile remaining on her face.

_Meanwhile..._

"Uh... Dude? You... Alright?" Chester broke the silence that had pervaded the table he(along with Timmy and AJ) sat at in the mall's food court. He and AJ had arrived some time earlier, followed by Timmy, who, upon arriving, collapsed into his seat and wordlessly laid his head down on the table. The first thing that came to the blond's mind was that Vicki must've immediately gone back to her old ways once it was only her and Timmy in the house. That would explain why he seemed so exhausted...

The only noise from the brunet was an unintelligible mumble.

"Is... Is he asleep?" AJ glanced over at Chester, a small hint of worry evident in his voice.

"Maybe?" Chester shrugged his shoulders, then leaned over the table and tapped on Timmy's elbow, now being used as a pillow by the teen. "Yo, Timmy? You look kinda... Dead."

Apparently 'dead' was the word that could bring Timmy Turner back to life, as upon Chester speaking it, the brunet sat up in his chair and stretched out his arms, releasing a yawn as he did. "...What's up?"

"That's a good question, man. You feeling sick or something?" AJ leaned forward, evidently trying to see if Timmy had a fever, but stopped as the brunet leaned away from his friend's outstretched hand.

"I'm fine. Just a little tired." Timmy rubbed at his eyes, trying to will himself out of being fatigued.

"Vicki?" Chester and AJ asked in unison.

"Hm? No, I told you guys, Vicki's not all that bad, she really is trying to-"

"Timmy, seriously, I get that she's probably got a network of spies all around here watching our every move, but you don't have to lie to us, we're your friends." AJ attempted to reassure his friend, assuming the worst must have happened over his weekend with the red-head.

This attempt at reassurance only annoyed the brunet, as it proved that, despite his best efforts to prove Vicki's reputation to be undeserved(y'know, for the most part), AJ still held a fair amount of distrust for the woman. _"What can I possibly say that'll get through his thick skull?"_ Timmy pinched the bridge of his nose, he was still too tired to deal With AJ's over-cautiousness in regards to Vicki. "I-" He paused, then sighed. How exactly could he tell them why he was tired? Telling them he was in a relationship with his babysitter was completely, one-hundred percent _off_ the table, not only because she had told him so herself, but also because he _really_ didn't want to talk about it.

"Seriously Timmy, you can tell us what happened-" Chester began.

"_Ha! No, no I definitely can't!"_ the brunet thought to himself.

"That's what friends are for! I don't exactly agree with everything Brainiac's said, but you _are_ Red's-"

"_Vicki's_." Timmy cut in.

"Right, _Vicki's_ favorite person to torture. I'm willing to admit that her hug on Friday might've just been another strange way to mess with our heads, pretending she was nice just to catch you off guard. Although... She _did_ seem really cool with me and Tootie dating-"

"You're dating Tootie?!" Timmy and Chester's bald compatriot practically shrieked, his voice echoing through the mall. "S-since when?! And why didn't you tell me?!"

"Because we knew _this_ is how you'd react..." Timmy rubbed his temples as he felt a headache coming on.

"Oh yeah... I guess I forgot to tell you... Hm." Chester replied nonchalantly.

"Wait! _You_ knew before me?!" AJ turned his attention to the brunet, now grimacing at how loud his friend was getting.

"Yeah, I did. Chester told me about it on Friday, while I was at the mall with Vicki." Timmy stated boredly with another yawn.

"Wha?! Why am I always out of the loop when it comes to things like this?!"

"Again, because _this_ is how you react to things like this." Timmy glanced around, hoping AJ wasn't drawing too much attention to them, last thing they needed was to get kicked out of the mall... _"Again."_ In addition, he was also looking for the nearest coffee shop.

"I- You- And him- And... Argh! Anything _else_ that you two are keeping from me?" AJ asked, his tone at last lowering to semi-acceptable levels.

Chester scratched his chin in thought. "Hm... Let's see, dating Tootie, got permission from her sister, might be getting blackmailed by Veronica -have to get back to you on that one-, um... Nope. I think that's it!" the blond smiled at his friend cheekily.

AJ facepalmed in response. "And you?" The teen peeked out between his fingers at Timmy.

"Hoo boy, let me see... Found a shrine dedicated to me, saw how Vicki looks in a dress, snuck out of a restaurant without paying... Oh! And I'm dating my evil babysitter! So, y'know, crazy couple of days." During this string of confessions, the brunet spoke in a deadpanning tone and with an expressionless face. An admittedly difficult feat, but one he pulled off flawlessly.

"Ugh... You could at least take this seriously!" AJ yelled, then shook his head.

"Sorry, couldn't resist messing with you!" Timmy chuckled as he stood up. "I need something to wake me up, you two want anything?"

"'Wake you up'? You're not telling me you drink coffee, are you? You _never _drink coffee!" Chester looked at his friend incredulously.

"First time for everything." Timmy yawned once again. "You two want anything or not?"

"Yeah, get me a blueberry muffin." AJ spoke up first and took out a five dollar bill, turning to Chester as he handed the money to Timmy. "You want anything, Chester?"

"You buyin'?" the blond asked hopefully.

"That would seem to be the case, yes."

"I'll have what you're both having!" Chester smirked at AJ, who now shot him a mildly annoyed look.

"Freeloader." the bald teen shook his head and chuckled as he took out another five, handing this one to Timmy as well.

"Right. Two muffins, two coffees." the brunet noted as he added the two five dollar bills to his own wallet, then took out a ten, earning him a couple of angry looks from both of his friends. "What? _You_ offered!" Timmy pointed at AJ. "I never asked either of you to pay."

"Wha- That's- Just go..." again, AJ facepalmed in exasperation.

"Well, as long as I have your permission." the brunet spun around and made a beeline for 'The Coffee Shop', a little place that seemed to be exclusive to the Dimmsdale mall, but(according to a passing comment made by Vicki) they made _really_ good coffee. He sidled up to the counter and loudly sighed in relief, now that he knew he was far enough away from Chester and AJ. _"I can't believe I just told them everything!"_

The two remaining teens watched their friend walk off, and the blond of the duo spoke up once he was sure Timmy was out of earshot. "You... don't think any of that stuff was true, do you?"

"Hm?" AJ looked at Chester quizzically. "What stuff?"

"Timmy seeing Vicki in a dress, sneaking out of a restaurant without paying..."

"And _dating_ Vicki? C'mon man, he's screwing with us. Wanted to say something that he hoped would shock us, that's all. Let's be real here, if he really had seen or done any of those things, there's absolutely _no way_ he'd tell us. You and I both know Timmy's got a weird sense of humor sometimes."

"Maybe- Maybe you're right." Chester looked toward Timmy, seeing that he was now drumming his fingers on the counter of 'The Coffee Shop'. _"Still, that was a frickin' _odd_ thing to say..."_ The blond took a moment to consider the closeness that his friend and their babysitter had exhibited on her birthday, at the time, he wasn't serious. Timmy and Vicki had simply been acting like... Well, like people who were in an anime that liked each other... _"Ugh... No way. Dude's nuts, but he's not _that_ nuts..."_

Meanwhile, Timmy was becoming slightly impatient now. He didn't want to _seem_ that way, but five minutes had passed without him seeing hide nor hair of an employee. "Hello...?"

A fluttering of paper startled the brunet into looking behind the counter, causing him to meet the top of a familiar blonde head of hair. "I'm on break."

Timmy grimaced. The blonde hair, the bored tone, the distinctly womanly figure sitting cross-legged behind the counter, and the scent of bubblegum, the pink kind. "You _can't_ be serious."

"Well I am. Y'ever try running a jewelery store for half the week, then a coffee shop for the other?" the woman stood up and turned around, body language showing clear annoyance, though it was marred by her wearing a plain, non-threatening brown visor and apron, likely the store uniform. "It's hard fucking work-"

"Hey Heather." Timmy waved, a mix of emotions now flowing through his head. Annoyance, for having to wait; mirth, at the blonde's trying to be intimidating while wearing her 'Coffee Shop' uniform; and an odd bit of nostalgia at finding a familiar face, the same one that had played such a vital role in winning Vicki's heart.

"Lion! I remember you!" Heather exclaimed happily and smiled.

"That's not my name..." the brunet crossed his arms and pouted.

"I'm sure it isn't, but you never gave me your name when you came into the store. The way you were jitterbugging around, along with you running out like you did... Well, it reminded me of a certain cowardly lion." Feeling quite proud of her deductive skills(and not bothering to wait for confirmation), Heather leaned on the counter and stared at Timmy smugly. "So, things work out between you and Dorothy? ...Or maybe the Wicked Witch is more your speed?" Her grin quickly morphed from smug to evil.

"Wha... How-how did you even know?!" Timmy contemplated taking a few steps back, then breaking out into a full sprint and leaving, but his curiosity kept him rooted to the spot. "How did you know any of it? The necklace, my getting it as a birthday present, me liking a girl that _might_ be called a witch by some? How?"

"Simple. For the necklace and how I knew it was a birthday gift, your body language. You're too obvious. Nervous? Check. Getting flustered when I assumed -with no evidence, I might add- that it was a present for someone's birthday? Check. And the simple fact of it _being_ a necklace meant it was more than likely for a girl." Heather popped her gum triumphantly.

"And as for how you know about the... Girl?" the brunet asked nervously, worrying that he must've been too obvious, that had to be it! If a complete frickin' stranger could figure him out, what hope did he have in hiding this secret from his _friends_?!

"Oh, well that I just assumed." the blonde woman remarked nonchalantly as she pushed herself up off the counter. "_And _I _might _be friends with a certain red-headed customer of mine. Who _may _have texted me on Saturday that a guy she's known for a while gave her a pink, square-cut crystal for her birthday." Heather quirked an eyebrow up at the teen.

At this, Timmy could do little but stare in disbelief. To some extent, he almost felt like he'd been played, like events had been orchestrated so far ahead that it all had to be some elaborate master plan by the red-head herself, and this woman he'd never met before Friday was a collaborator!

"And! Judging by the look on your face... You must be the Twerp I've heard so much about! ...Oh! Hold that pose!" Reaching below the counter and clearly looking for something, Heather stood up upon finding it. The 'it' being a digital camera, with which she quickly took Timmy's picture, then spun it around to look at it. "Hm... Yep! This expression is somewhere between 'It's a small world after all', and 'What the actual fuck is going on'. That's a keeper!" The blonde returned the camera to its spot under the counter, then looked at Timmy expectantly. "I imagine you have questions."

"...So. Very. Many. But right now, I'll just take my coffee."

_Meanwhile..._

Veronica jubilantly kicked her legs as she sat at a bench on the second floor of the Dimmsdale mall, her new best friend sitting next to her, in a significantly less enthusiastic mood. "I think you should stop worrying so much."

"That's like a doctor treating people by asking them if they've tried _not_ being on fire... While they're on fire!" Tootie glared at the blonde sitting next to her.

"It's really not... But I think I get your point." _"Ugh... This is getting us nowhere. If only an apology could solve all the world's problems!"_ She was, of course, not referring to herself now. Veronica had no need to apologize... Well, except maybe for her mildly mean-spirited blackmail joke. But she'd already told Tootie that she wasn't mad at her for how protective she got when it came to her and Chester's relationship. As someone who once held an obsessive crush on a certain mutual, brunet-haired friend, she knew what it was like to be vastly overprotective of someone. She also knew some part of her still felt like this for Trixie, though that was mostly platonic. _"Right, just keep telling yourself that, V... Maybe _I'm_ the one who needs a therapist..."_ Veronica again glanced over at Tootie, at last having a degree of understanding for what made the girl tick, and why she was... Unhinged, to put it politely. The blonde girl supposed that, if she had grown up with an older sister like Vicki, she too might be a little crazy. And that wasn't even mentioning her constant, multiple rebuffs from Timmy, it allowed Veronica to take some solace that she'd never admitted her feelings to the brunet like Tootie had, she'd never been able to handle rejection particularly well. "So... Feel a little better?"

Strangely enough(to Tootie, anyway), she did. Maybe talking to someone who could relate to her was what she really needed. Sure, she had Chester, but they'd only been together for a day and a half, it was difficult for the raven-haired girl to imagine him as someone who could really sympathize with her like Veronica did, likely because the blond wasn't a girl. Then there was Timmy, but she wasn't entirely sure what was going on with him right now. Chester had mentioned that her sister might like him, but... It had to be just him messing around, right?

"Yo, Tootie? Earth to Tootie, come in Tootie?" the blonde at lat tapped her on the shoulder, making Tootie focus her gaze on her. "It's worse than I thought, you just drifted off there, huh?"

"Uh... N-no, I'm fine. Just remembering something Chester mentioned on Friday..."

"Uh-huh? Well, what is it? Or does it fall under girlfriend-boyfriend confidentiality?" Veronica grinned at the bespectacled girl, an interested glint in her eyes.

"He's not my-! ...I mean..." Tootie cut herself off and looked away. She'd grown so accustomed to saying Timmy wasn't her boyfriend(though this exclamation was usually followed by 'yet') that she apparently now did it out of habit, even though Chester most certainly was her boyfriend this time. "...We haven't quite gotten that far-"

"You two seemed to have gotten that far when I caught you both on the couch..." the blonde chuckled as Tootie's face turned beet-red.

"Would you-! Th-that's different! He... Caught me by surprise-"

"And you were more than happy to go along with it." Veronica attempted to finish Tootie's sentence for her.

Realizing he blonde girl was simply teasing her again, Tootie facepalmed and shook her head. "You're starting to remind me of someone... Look, I told you, I want to take things... Moderately slow with Chester. The whole reason things didn't work out with Timmy was because I was too forward. I was so focused on thinking that there was no way he couldn't like me that I was blind to him _not_ liking me... Like that. I don't want to risk a repeat of events with Chester, so..." Tootie lowered her hand away form her face, but still hung her head worriedly.

"So, somehow you think that passionately making out with Chester is fine, but referring to him as your boyfriend is going too fast?" Veronica asked skeptically.

"Well... When you put it like that..." the raven-haired girl sighed in defeat.

"Have you maybe considered asking Chester what he thinks?"

"Agh... I can't... If I screw this up... I don't know what I'd do if I scared him away like I almost did Timmy. It's only by luck that Timmy and I are still friends... But Chester _isn't_ Timmy, I doubt things between us would be cool if I screwed up..." Tootie stared up at the mall skylight and sighed.

"See? This is your problem right here. You're letting a relationship that never happened define the one you're in! You already told me that Chester said you'd have to try _really_ hard to scare him off, so you ever think that maybe he _wants_ the version of you that you're suppressing?" Veronica leaned in and placed her hand on Tootie's shoulder, getting her to turn her eyes from the skylight to meet the blonde's.

"You... think so? He... He hasn't said anything..." Tootie looked away again and brought her index finger to her chin in thought.

"Well, to be fair, it's just a guess, but I doubt he'd have feelings for you if he really was bothered by that more obsessive side that you're hiding from him. He hasn't told you that he disliked that side, right? ...Oh, and just so you know, _most_ guys aren't going to ask you to change who you are for them... Well, the ones worth dating."

Tootie looked back at Veronica with a smirk. "This coming form a girl who just has _so much_ experience under her belt when it comes to dating."

A light pink blush bloomed across Veronica's cheeks and nose at this comment. "Well I- I'm waiting for the right guy to show up."

"And just _what_ characteristics does the 'right guy' have that you're looking for?" Tootie, seeing her opportunity to turn the tables on her new blonde friend, did just that.

"I... Um- Y'know... He needs to be... able to stand up for both himself, and me... Oh! And kind... Sweet at times, too... I guess I'd want him to be funny too..." Veronica shrank back, unprepared for the conversation to be turned around on her in such a way.

"You pretty much described the most generic guy in the world. You realize that, right?" Tootie, feeling far more confident, smirked at Veronica. "What about Timmy? He's all of those things, and a few more..."

"Timmy? ...I don't think so. Er... Not that I'm disagreeing with you, he's just... Not really my type." Veronica had made the discovery a few years back, right around when she stopped emulating Trixie. Some part of her did like the brunet, but that part was only there because he liked Trixie, rather than her. Veronica had tried so hard to be Timmy's ideal girl, that she nearly lost what made her, her. After that, she forsook the idea that she needed to be like her best friend, and the affection for the buck-toothed teen along with it.

"Not your type? Then... Oh... Oh! You mean those rumors about you and Trixie-!" Tootie was cut off by the blonde's hand shooting out and slapping itself over her mouth.

"No." Veronica shot the raven-haired girl a death glare of her own now. "I know _exactly_ what you're thinking. Trixie and I have both heard the rumors... And I've had this conversation with AJ! ...Ugh..." the blonde pinched the bridge of her nose with her left hand as she moved her right off Tootie's mouth. "It certainly doesn't help that Trixie has not only _not_ denied the rumors, but she also likes to add that, if she were... Like that, I'd be her first choice."

Tootie considered this for a minute, before another revelation came to her, making the bespectacled girl giggle rather girlishly. "But you didn't deny it either~!"

Veronica's hand never left its position on her face, though she now bore a nearly scarlet blush beneath her hand. "My relationship with you was easier when you thought I was gonna steal your boyfriend..."

Tootie jumped to her feet. "Just think of this as some good-natured payback for your text on Friday. C'mon, Chester's gonna start worrying about where I am if we take much longer."

"And? I told you, I came to the mall to go shopping, and we just happened to run into each other." Veronica stood up in turn, shooting Tootie a quizzical look. "Unless you _want_ me to come hang out with you guys...?"

"Oh now _that_ isn't fair. You're really gonna play it like that? Like _I'm_ the one that needs company? _You're_ the one who came here alone... Speaking of which, where _is_ your other half?" Tootie chuckled as the term 'other half' made Veronica glare at her again.

"She's _not_ my-!" The blonde paused, realizing Tootie had once more turned the tables on her, catching her in the same trap she'd caught the raven-haired girl in a few minutes earlier. "Oh, you're evil, aren't you?"

"You should see how my sister _really_ is. Anyway, just come with me, it'll be nice to not be the only girl in the group for once."

"...Fine." Veronica finally gave in with a heavy sigh, having every intention of going with Tootie, but wanting to make the girl work for it.

"Oh yeah, like it's just the worst thing _ever_ that you have to come hang out with me and my friends!" the raven-haired girl laughed as she reached for and grabbed Veronica's hand, then began pulling her along as she walked toward the food court.

The blonde teen slowly followed after Tootie, just barely keeping pace with her. She was more interested in the fact that Tootie had grabbed her hand in the first place. _"Girl is so weird. First she's acting chummy, then she thinks I'm gonna blackmail her, so we talk, she tells me about her life, and we go back to being chummy..."_

"So... You never did answer my question." Tootie spoke without looking back at Veronica.

"What was the question?"

"How come you're here by yourself? Trixie sick or something? ...Oh! Look! There they are!" the bespectacled girl excitedly pointed over the railing that overlooked the food court. Veronica sidled up next to her to get a better look, seeing that she was pointing at a table that held Chester, AJ, and a decidedly dead-looking Timmy. From what she could tell, the three had already gotten something to eat.

"Well, looks like we're too late. Timmy's already died of boredom." the blonde deadpanned, earning her an approving giggle from Tootie. "And, in answer to your question, Trixie and I really aren't joined at the hip, contrary to popular opinion. There _are_ some days where I feel like doing one thing, and she another. She told me she wanted to get her hair done today, and as much fun as it would be to sit in a hair salon for three hours, I opted to come here. Satisfied?"

Tootie looked at Veronica skeptically. "I still think you have a thing for her." With that, Tootie released the blonde's hand and descended the nearby staircase to the food court.

"Hah..." Veronica sighed loudly again as she followed after her new friend. "It's gonna be a _long_ day..."

_At the food court..._

Timmy sat back down at the table, handing AJ his muffin, and Chester his coffee and muffin.

"I saw that y'know." Chester stated rather slyly as he pulled the paper off the muffin.

"Saw what?" Timmy looked at his friend quizzically.

"Saw you chattin' up that _fine_ barista lady." the blond teen took a self-satisfied sip from his iced coffee, and promptly fell into a coughing fit. "Agh! What- What did you put in this coffee?!"

"Hm? Why? There something wrong with it?" The brunet stared at his friend in genuine confusion, then looked at his own coffee. "I got what you asked: same as mine."

"So why's it so _sweet_?!"

"Is it?" Timmy took a sip from the straw in his own coffee. "Hm. Tastes fine to me."

"M-my vision's going... Dark..." The blond teen dramatically held his now shaking hand in front of his face and looked at it fearfully. "I think I'm... going into... Insulin shock... Urk!" With one last groan, Chester fell face-first onto the table.

"...How do you know what insulin shock is?" AJ asked after taking a bite of his muffin.

"Oh that's easy." Chester sat up, clearly fine and not in any danger. "My dad once ate an entire apple pie after dumping a whole carton of vanilla ice cream on it. Had to call the paramedics cuz he went into insulin shock. Guess your body does that when you put too much sugar into it too quickly, pancreas overcompensates and that can happen."

"Well, that was probably the smartest thing I've ever heard come out of your mouth." AJ remarked, clearly impressed.

"Yeah, screw you too, Brainiac." Chester spoke in mock-offense. "So anyway, you got a thing for older women, dude?"

"_And right back to me 'chatting up' Heather..."_ Timmy thought to himself in annoyance, thinking that the topic had been dropped. "I wasn't 'chatting up' anyone. She was taking my order, there _is_ a difference."

"Yeah, 'cept you were over there for nearly fifteen minutes. Doesn't take that long to make a couple of coffees and bag up some muffins." the blond took another sip from his coffee, grimacing at the sickeningly sweet taste.

"I can't make small talk with the person who's making my coffee?" the brunet asked as he laid his head down on the table, face-first.

"C'mon, Timmy. It's pretty obvious that, since Tootie and I are an item, you're starting to realize that you're gettin' up there in age. 'Fore you know it, you'll be middle-aged, sad, and alone, like..." Chester took a few seconds to think, then snapped his fingers. "Oh! Like Vicki!"

"'Up there in age'?! I'm only fourteen!" Timmy exclaimed.

"Uh-huh. That's what I'm sayin' man! Your teen years are nearly half over, and you've never even had the beginnings of a meaningful relationship... Or a relationship, for that matter!" Chester took another sip from his coffee, this one unaccompanied by his earlier disgust.

"So... Is there actually some point you're trying to make?" the brunet looked at his friend flatly, having quickly grown annoyed at being called 'old'. _"I am _not_ old!"_

"Yeah, as I said before, the reason you were having such a long and extended conversation with that fox at the coffee shop, is because you've got a thing for older women. Probably brought on by that little hug from Vicki. Tell me I'm wrong." Chester shrugged as he finished.

"I think you should keep your eyes off foxy baristas, and trained exclusively on Tootie." Timmy narrowed his eyes at Chester threateningly.

"Hey, I never said I had any intentions there. I'm a one woman man, and Tootie is my woman... Doesn't mean I can't appreciate a fine piece of art from time to time, though. From a distance, of course."

"Of _course_." Timmy rolled his eyes. "And Vicki isn't- ...Nevermind." The brunet caught himself. Sarcastically(if truthfully) saying he was dating Vicki was one thing, openly defending her in front of his friends was another. "Look, I'm _not_ interested in Heather-"

"Oh! You got her name?! Damn, dude, you work _fast_!" Chester stuck his hand in front of Timmy's face, obviously expecting a high-five.

"She's wearing a nametag." Timmy remarked exasperatedly.

"I didn't hear a denial that you like older women~..." the blond lowered his hand back down to the table and grabbed his muffin.

The buck-toothed teen opened his mouth to speak, then, upon seeing Tootie pop up behind his two friends and silently shush him, opted to simply say: "Finally."

Earning him a quizzical look from his blond friend. "Finally-Gah?!" Chester nearly jumped out of his seat at the table as Tootie wrapped her arms around his neck, letting her chin come to rest on his left shoulder.

"Hey." The bespectacled girl spoke in a mildly husky tone as she nudged the side of her head against Chester's, doing her best to mimic the actions that she always imagined she'd do with Timmy, had they ever started dating.

"What's got you feeling so affectionate today?" as he said this, Chester shoved AJ into the next seat over, opening up a spot for his girlfriend to sit down next to him.

This earned him a glare from AJ. "'Least we know you're thinking with your di-"

"Hey AJ!" the other, female blonde sat down on the other side of the bald teen. "So how'd things go with Trixie?" Veronica smiled at AJ deviously.

Upon hearing this, the table went deadly quiet, and all eyes fell on AJ and Veronica.

"Things? What _things_?!" A wide grin broke out across Chester's face. "You mean... Brainiac finally made a move?!"

"Hm? You... Oh! Whoops!" Veronica dragged her thumb and finger across her lips, mimicking a zipping action, realizing that AJ hadn't told anyone about his asking Trixie out, and probably didn't want her telling his friends before he did.

"To be fair, nobody asked." AJ said smugly as he looked at the table's other occupants, then turned back to Veronica. "I suppose I have you to thank, Veronica."

"I wouldn't go that far. Trixie can just be... a little ditzy at times. I think it would be safer to say that I just... nudged things along. You're the one that actually asked her out."

"True, but had you not explicitly spelled things out to her, I might still be trying to work up the courage to ask her out in the first place. You have my thanks for your assistance." AJ smiled at Veronica.

"Oh come on... You're giving me _way_ too much credit... And you're being too formal, loosen up!"

"That's AJ for you." Tootie spoke up as she reached over and grabbed Chester's drink.

"Uh... I wouldn't do that-" The blond tried to warn his girlfriend, but he was just slightly too late.

"Guess when you've got an IQ of- Ugh! What- What the Hell did you put in this coffee?! Corn syrup?!" Tootie grimaced at the coffee, then glared at Chester, thinking he'd played a trick on her.

"N-no! I asked Timmy to get me the same thing he got when he offered to go to that coffee place over there-" Chester nodded at 'The Coffee Shop'. "And he came back with... That!"

"It tastes like Diabetes!" the raven-haired girl exclaimed, but took another sip regardless. "Eugh! Timmy! Did you do this?" Tootie at last turned her attention to her ex-crush, who until now had been quietly enjoying his drink. It was only now that she also noticed the prominent bags under his eyes.

"Don't get mad at me." Timmy shrugged and took another sip of his drink, now more than half-gone. "Chester told me to get him a muffin and the same coffee I was getting for myself. If he didn't want it-"

"I didn't know you drank liquid cane sugar!" Chester quickly interjected.

"Then he should've asked for something else."

"Alright, so what _exactly_ is in this?" Tootie lifted Chester's drink up and shook it around, revealing a fair large reservoir of sugar in the bottom of the cup.

"Um..." Timmy thought as he stirred his drink with the straw. "French Vanilla flavor, five creams... And... thirteen sugars-"

"Thirteen?!" Chester and Tootie exclaimed simultaneously.

"Yeah. Thirteen. Why? Is there... something wrong with that?" the brunet stared at his friends like _they_ were the weird ones, not him. "If you don't want it..." Timmy reached over toward Chester's and Tootie's coffee, only for the couple to both yank it away from his grasping hand.

"No! I paid-"

"_I _paid for it." AJ corrected the blond.

"AJ paid for this for me, I'm drinking it, even if it kills my pancreas." Chester stared at the mound of sugar that collected at the bottom of the cup. _"And it very well may..."_

At this, Tootie took the drink from Chester and had another sip, slowly becoming accustomed to the overly sweet taste. "So... Why do you look so tired?"

"No reason. Just... Stayed up late last night, since we have today off. A lot of gaming, followed by even more internetting..." Timmy yawned again, though he wasn't feeling quite as tired as he was when he first got to the mall.

"Maybe Vicki riding you for most of the weekend?" Tootie asked, showing genuine concern at the possibility that Vicki was still being mean to Timmy, even after all he'd done.

Unfortunately, the question sounded less concerned, and more accusatory, especially considering Tootie's particularly interesting choice of words. "Wha?! U-um... R-riding me? What- What do you mean by th-that?" The brunet immediately felt the coffee take effect... Or maybe it was the sudden onset of fear at having been found out? The situation certainly wasn't helped by the brunet's face turning a shade of scarlet comparable to the one Tootie had caused Veronica's to.

"Y'know...? Riding you? Giving you a hard time? Making you do chores with no end in sight, and not giving you a break? I'm running out of metaphors here." Tootie quirked an eyebrow up at Timmy's nervousness.

"Like she won't get off your dick?" Chester said over a mouthful of muffin.

"...Thank you for that... Wonderful mental image, Chester..." the bespectacled girl spoke in a mildly disgusted tone.

"Oh... Oh! Um... Heheh... I... N-nevermind..." Timmy stumbled over his words as he tried to calm down and come up with an acceptable response.

Tootie, being fairly intelligent, and significantly more perceptive than the resident genius, AJ; now took notice of her friend's flushed face, and, coupling it with his nervousness and how tired he looked, came to an interesting realization. _"No... No way!"_ The raven-haired girl glanced out of the corner of her eye at Chester. As eventful it would be to tell her boyfriend that he was right about their mutual friend and her sister, it was pretty clear to Tootie that revealing that information... Wasn't really in anyone's best interest. "Hey, Timmy? Can I talk to you for a minute? In _private_?"

No, she wasn't going to tell anyone that she believed her best friend and Vicki were dating, assuming they really were, she knew it was best to keep it on a need-to-know basis. At the same time, she _did_ want to know, if only to stroke her own ego.

"_Shit."_ Timmy thought to himself. Just that _look_ she was giving him was enough for the brunet to know that he'd been caught, the girl was always too perceptive for her own good, and being friends with her only made her more in tune with Timmy and his problems. It was nice to know that, as his friend, he could count on her for just about anything, he just wished this was one of the few times that she'd let alone, rather than offer help. "Uh... Sure?" Timmy finished his coffee and stood up from the table, followed by Tootie.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna go off and have a last minute fling with Timmy." the bespectacled girl placed a quick kiss on Chester's cheek.

"...Well now that you've said that, I'm kinda worried." the blond flashed her a grin, indicating he was joking.

"You're an ass." Tootie chuckled as she left the table, moving ahead of Timmy and toward the stairs leading up to the second level that overlooked the food court.

"You sure that's a good idea, dude? Tootie and Timmy have had some serious sexual tension for years, even after they agreed to be 'just friends'." AJ took another bite of his nearly forgotten muffin.

"They're gonna be within eyesight anyway, relax Brainiac. I'm really not all that concerned about Tootie cheating on me, especially since she's with my best friend; Timmy wouldn't do something like that. Finally, I trust Tootie, so there." Chester nodded and crossed his arms, satisfied with his justification of Tootie and Timmy going off together.

"Hm. You two seem like you've been together for years, not days." Veronica remarked, clearly impressed.

"Well, we've been friends for years now, and... I guess I just trust her." the blond shrugged. "I'm not gonna act like a jealous ass who thinks his girlfriend is his property... Speaking of jealous asses... How'd things go with Trixie?" Chester quirked an interested eyebrow up at AJ.

"Very funny." the bald teen rolled his eyes. "Well, if you must know..."

_Meanwhile..._

"You know, don't you?" Timmy asked hesitantly as he leaned against the railing next to Tootie, and both watched the table the rest of their friends were sitting at.

"Are we talking about you and Vicki? 'Cause if we are, then now I _definitely_ know." Tootie glanced over at Timmy, who hadn't turned his head, eyes still trained on the table they'd been sitting at.

After several more seconds of silence, the brunet sighed. "Of course you know... Dunno how I thought I could hide something like that from you... What gave it away?"

Tootie had to take a deep breath to keep from bursting into a fit of laughter, both at being right, and that her former crush was dating _Vicki_. "Quite a few things, to be honest-"

"Ugh!" the brunet facepalmed in frustration.

"Relax, I doubt any of them are gonna figure it out. The only one who thought you might like Vicki was Chester, and since I didn't really support him in that assumption, he'll probably forget about it soon enough." Tootie reached her hand out and gave Timmy's right shoulder a reassuring pat. "That being said, you might want to calm down, you were really blushing when I asked if Vicki was riding..." The raven-haired girl trailed off and looked toward their friends as her brain put the pieces of the puzzle together. "You... You thought I meant...!" Another quick look at her brunet-haired friend caused her to find that he wasn't looking at her, or their friends, now he was looking completely to his left, hiding his whole face from her. "You thought I was saying you and Vicki did... _that_?!"

"Well... Your choice of words _does_ fall in line with... Um... _That_." Timmy added nervously, though he kept his face turned away from the girl.

"But... the only real reason you'd have to get all embarrassed like you did is..."

"So what do you think those three are talking about?" the brunet suddenly looked at Tootie, trying to sway the conversation as far away from himself and Vicki as possible, though this only ended up revealing how beet-red his face now was. "My guess is something along the lines of how you and I still have some unresolved sexual tension, heheh... R-right? ...Tootie?"

The raven-haired girl turned to face her friend, seeing the very obviously pleading look in his eyes. "...Are... Are you okay?" That was the first question to enter the girl's mind, wanting to try and skirt saying a certain word.

"Seriously, AJ seems to think that you and I are destined to end up together, I mean, we're good friends, but... Have- Have you- Um... Told anybody else about you and Che-"

"Timmy." Tootie interrupted the brunet in a low but rather forceful tone. "Are you okay?" She repeated her question, now showing genuine concern.

"I-I'm fine... Why do you ask?"

"Because you don't _sound_ fine. You're clearly on edge, you look like you've been up for over a day and a half, and you..." Tootie glanced around nervously, then mouthed: "And you had sex with my sister?!" Even mouthing the word made her cheeks turn a light shade of pink.

"Oh. That. Right... I just... I'm supposed to be keeping... her and I on a need-to-know basis. Not that... that's been very easy, it's kind of stressful, to be honest. Just found out that the lady who owns that coffee place over there is friends with Vicki, so she knows. That I'm dating her. Not- Not the other thing." Timmy fumbled with his words, but the blush on his face was beginning to fade. Tootie was, for the most part, a fairly reasonable person, so her finding out-

"So... Did she like... have her way with you?" Tootie asked hesitantly as she tapped her index fingers together.

"Wha?! No! You think she-" the brunet caught himself and covered his mouth, realizing he'd been shouting. "No... Nothing like that. It was her idea, but I... just went along with it..." Timmy scratched the back of his neck and blushed again. "Several times..."

This earned him a glare somewhere between disgusted and annoyed from Tootie. "Too much information. _Way_ too much."

"Right, sorry... Um... Can we keep this between us? You knowing is already too many people..." Timmy glanced down toward the table their friends sat at for effect.

"Tempting a prospect as it is to use this against you, I'm Tootie, not Vicki. Secret's safe with me." Tootie shrugged at last, not being all _that_ bothered by the idea of Timmy and her sister dating. There were stranger couples in the world, after all. "I end up an aunt before twenty though, and it'll be the last kid you have, got it?"

Taking note that there were a multitude of forms of bodily harm that Tootie could be implying, Timmy nodded. "...Fair enough."

"Good! Now, let's get back down there and never speak of this ever again. Ever." The raven-haired girl again moved ahead of Timmy to return to the food court, only for the brunet to fall into step next to her. "...So... How was it?"

The question prompted Timmy to stop on the stairs and lean on the railing. "How was... Oh... No. No way am I going into that. You can stow that line of questions right now." The brunet's face again shifted to a beet-red color.

"Fine, fine... 'Least I know you were smart enough to use a condom..."

"...A what?"

A loud slapping sound echoed through the mall as Tootie facepalmed hard enough to leave a mark on her face. _"God Damnit."_


End file.
